New York trailed by as many as 16 points in Game 5 before rallying to win 94-90 and take the series 4-1.
Brunson’s 45-point performance carried the Knicks through the second half and ended the franchise’s 53-year title wait.
The title is the third in team history; until now New York had not won an NBA championship in more than five decades.
The Spurs’ star finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds but managed only three points in the final period as the Knicks defense stiffened.
The New York Knicks rallied from a 16-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5, winning the NBA Finals 4-1 and capturing their first championship since 1973. At San Antonio, the Spurs led by double digits in the first half behind Victor Wembanyama’s defensive presence, but the Knicks slowly chipped away. They entered the final quarter trailing by seven points before taking their first lead since the opening period with about three minutes remaining and never looking back.
“It’s everything I ever dreamed of.”
Brunson, a 29-year-old guard taken 33rd overall in the 2018 draft, carried the Knicks in the second half with repeated clutch baskets and finished with 45 points, three rebounds and three assists. He was named Finals MVP. His father, Rick Brunson, was a member of the Knicks when the team last reached the NBA Finals in 1999 and lost to these same Spurs. Mike Brown, the Knicks’ head coach hired last summer, was an assistant on Gregg Popovich’s Spurs staff that season. Key contributions came from Mikal Bridges (14 points), Josh Hart (13 points, 11 rebounds) and OG Anunoby (11 points, eight rebounds).
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The championship is the third in franchise history, adding to titles in 1970 and 1973. For decades the Knicks were synonymous with missed chances: the Patrick Ewing era, front-office missteps and a carousel of coaches. This team transformed under Brown, with Karl-Anthony Towns offering steady inside play and Anunoby delivering pivotal postseason moments. The Knicks also became the first champion in 22 years without a player selected in the top five of the NBA draft.
Victor Wembanyama, the 22-year-old French star in his first playoff run, posted 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks but scored only three points in the fourth quarter. Dylan Harper led the Spurs with 25 points, continuing a strong finals series. Julian Champagnie added 14 points and Devin Vassell had 12. The Spurs, who were seeking their sixth title and first since 2014, could not withstand the Knicks’ composure in the final minutes.
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Jalen Brunson scored 45 points as the Knicks erased a 16-point deficit to clinch the series 4-1 and secure their third championship, the first since 1973.
AI text based on reports by Η Ναυτεμπορική, NEWS 24/7 and iefimerida.gr. Published .