For the first time in over half a century, the New York Knicks are champions.
The Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday (June 13), clinching the fourth win in the series. Point guard Jalen Brunson scored 45 points, including 13 in a row in the fourth quarter.
The Spurs were up 16 points in the first quarter, but the Knicks came back from the double-digit deficit, repeating a pattern that came to define the finals. In Game 4, the Knicks rallied from a 29-point deficit in Game 4, marking the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.
The win of the current incarnation of the Knicks—stacked with star players including Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns—is a moment of unfathomable gravity for lifelong fans.
It’s also a touching reminder of just how much the world has changed, and how much it remains the same, since the Mike Brown-led team last stepped into the NBA Finals. That was in 1999, the same year Blink-182 and Eminem released era-defining albums, and The Matrix changed action films forever.
It’s been longer—much longer, in fact—since the Knicks actually took it all the way. In 1973, the beloved New York institution bested the Los Angeles Lakers, taking their most recent title until today.
After the 2026 NBA Finals, the Knicks have three total chips to their name.
Moving forward, all eyes are on how, or if, the Knicks can capitalize on this momentum next season. But for now, the world is drenched in orange and blue.
