NBA Daily Digest: Knicks Win First Title Since 1973 — Brunson's 45 Points Close Out Spurs in Game 5
The New York Knicks are NBA champions for the first time since 1973. Jalen Brunson scored 45 points and 13 straight in the fourth quarter to rally from 16 down and beat the Spurs 94-90 in Game 5. Brunson wins the Bill Russell Finals MVP. Parade is Thursday, June 18 in Manhattan's Canyon of Heroes.
The wait is over. Fifty-three years after Willis Reed limped onto the Madison Square Garden court in 1973, the New York Knicks are NBA champions again — and the man who delivered the title scored 45 points to close it out on the road.
Game 5 final: Knicks 94, Spurs 90
Jalen Brunson (PG, New York Knicks) did what he has done in every elimination moment of this run: absorbed a double-digit deficit, then refused to let his team lose. Saturday night in San Antonio, that deficit was 16 points.1
The Spurs led 23-13 after one quarter, pushed it to 42-37 at the half, and extended to 72-65 after three. Victor Wembanyama (C, San Antonio Spurs) had five blocks in the first half alone, and the Knicks shot 29.5% in those opening 24 minutes — the lowest first-half field-goal rate for either team in a Finals game in the play-by-play era.2
Then Brunson happened.
He scored 13 consecutive Knicks points in the fourth quarter, dragging New York from down seven to a lead it never surrendered. His three free throws at the 1:08 mark put the Knicks up 86-85. Mitchell Robinson (C, NYK) grabbed an offensive rebound on a missed Josh Hart free throw. OG Anunoby (SF, New York Knicks) made one of two at the line. The Spurs — out of timeouts, with Fox and Castle both shooting under 25% on the night — went empty on their final possession. 94-90. Knicks win. Champions.3
"Knicks fans, this is not a dream. Your long, long wait has ended," ESPN's Mike Breen said at the buzzer. "After 53 years, your Knicks are finally NBA champions once again."
Box score — Game 5, June 13, 2026
| Player | Team | PTS | REB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Brunson | NYK | 45 | — | 13 straight pts in Q4; Finals MVP |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | NYK | 18 | 11 | Fouled out in Q4 |
| Mikal Bridges | NYK | 14 | — | — |
| Josh Hart | NYK | 13 | — | Key loose-ball hustle plays |
| Dylan Harper | SAS | 25 | 5 | Led Spurs; shot well in Q2-Q3 |
| Victor Wembanyama | SAS | 19 | 14 | 5 blk; couldn't match Brunson's fourth |
| Stephon Castle | SAS | 6 | — | 1-for-10 shooting |
| De'Aaron Fox | SAS | 7 | — | 3-for-15 shooting |
Brunson set a franchise record for points in a Finals game; the previous mark was Willis Reed's 38 in 1970.2
Brunson wins Finals MVP
Jalen Brunson received the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Trophy on the court, tears in his eyes, standing next to his father, Rick.1
"It's everything I ever dreamed of. It's why I came to New York," Brunson said.
His series averages came to 38.2 points per game — Game 1: 43, Game 2: 38 with a buzzer-beater, Game 3: 29, Game 4: 31, Game 5: 45. The Knicks trailed by at least 10 in all four of their wins. Every comeback ran through the same player.3
The full-circle detail: Rick Brunson played for the New York Knicks in the 1999-2000 season — one year after New York lost in the Finals to the same Spurs. He never won a ring as a player. On Saturday night, cameras found him courtside as the final buzzer sounded, and father and son embraced at center court as confetti fell.
The "Nova Knicks" — Brunson, Mikal Bridges (SF/PF) and Josh Hart (SF/PF), all Villanova NCAA champions together before reuniting in New York — combined for 72 points in the clincher. Karl-Anthony Towns (C, NYK) contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with under two minutes left.
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2026 NBA Finals series results
| Game | Date | Score | Key moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Jun 3 | NYK 105-95 SAS | KAT 31 pts, 14 reb — stole home court in San Antonio |
| Game 2 | Jun 5 | NYK 105-104 SAS | Brunson 43 pts, buzzer-beater |
| Game 3 | Jun 8 | SAS 115-111 NYK | Wembanyama 36 pts — Spurs fight back at MSG |
| Game 4 | Jun 10 | NYK 107-106 SAS | OG Anunoby tip-in at 1.2 sec — largest comeback in Finals history (29 pts down) |
| Game 5 | Jun 13 | NYK 94-90 SAS 🏆 | Brunson 45 pts, 13 straight in Q4 — CHAMPIONS |
Knicks won the series 4-1, coming from a double-digit deficit in every single victory.2
What it means for Wembanyama and the Spurs
Victor Wembanyama is 22 years old. He averaged 28.4 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game in this Finals. The Spurs won Game 3 at Madison Square Garden and led in the first quarter of all five games — they became the first team in the play-by-play era (since 1996-97) to hold a 10-point first-quarter lead in five consecutive Finals games.2
They ran into Brunson in the form of his career. Dylan Harper (SG/SF, SAS), the No. 1 pick from 2025, scored 25 in Game 5 and showed why San Antonio's next era is real. Fox shot 3-for-15 and Castle 1-for-10 in the clincher — both will need to be better in close games — but this was Year 2 of the Wembanyama era. The Spurs reached the Finals. They will be back.
Parade: Thursday, June 18 in Manhattan
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the celebration within an hour of the final buzzer with three words on X: "Parade. Thursday. Manhattan."4
The ticker-tape parade is set for Thursday, June 18, through the Canyon of Heroes — Battery Park to City Hall in Lower Manhattan.4 It will be the franchise's first ticker-tape parade; when the Knicks won in 1970 and 1973, the ticker-tape tradition had faded and the city held ceremonies at Gracie Mansion and City Hall instead.
Full parade logistics and street closures were not yet released as of Sunday morning. Mayor Mamdani said further details would come later Sunday. Follow @nyknicks for the official schedule.
Around the league
- Patrick Ewing watched from the front row at Frost Bank Center. The franchise's greatest player, who spent 15 seasons as a Knick and went to the 1994 Finals, had never won a title. Cameras found him at the buzzer pumping his fist.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo trade market: Boston, Miami, Cleveland and Orlando have all been linked in recent days. No deal before the draft; the June 26 deadline is the next major leverage point.
- Coaching vacancies: Chicago, Portland and Dallas still need head coaches. The offseason hiring cycle begins in earnest now that the Finals are finished.
- 2026 NBA Draft: June 26 in Brooklyn. Harper's 25-point Game 5 and his consistent performance in the series will shape conversations about what San Antonio needs to build around him and Wembanyama.
References
- 1
- 2Knicks win first NBA title since 1973 — NBC New York
nbcnewyork.com
- 3
- 4Knicks championship parade: What to know on date and details
northjersey.com
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