THE New York Knicks hoisted the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship again, after a long 53 years of waiting.
The Knicks kicked the Spurs, 94-90, in Game 5 to win the best-of-seven championship series, 4-1, on Saturday (Sunday, June 14, 2026, PH time), clinching the title on the road before the roaring fans at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Jalen Brunson poured in 45 huge points to lead the Knicks to their first title since 1973, avenging the franchise’s loss in the 1999 NBA Finals.
The 6-foot-2 floor general was named the 2026 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, averaging 32.6 points, 4.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds against the Spurs.
Brunson also became only the second player in league history to record 45+ points in a road game and win a title-clinching game. The other one who did it was the legendary Michael Jordan in the 1998 NBA Finals in Utah.
“I’ve got no words,” Brunson said after a long pause, with tears in his eyes. “It’s everything I ever dreamed of.”
“I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m just, like, I’m in awe. I don’t know. Whenever someone counted us out, we find a way to come back and do something about,” he said in an NBA article.
The victory provided a poetic sense of closure for New York fans. By defeating the Spurs, the Knicks avenged their 1999 Finals loss to San Antonio.
While the Spurs’ generational talent Victor Wembanyama filled the stat sheet with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks, the Knicks’ stifling defense held him to a dismal 7-of-19 from the field. / RSC