Knicks in five: Win first NBA Championship in 53 years

By Lithira Ekanayaka

Ending one of the longest droughts in NBA history, the New York Knicks were able to beat the San Antonio Spurs in a 4-1 gentlemen’s sweep to capture the championship after 53 long years. 

During their impressive postseason run, the Knicks lost only three games across four series while sweeping two series and securing a 13-game winning streak. 

After falling into a 2-1 series deficit against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks went on an impressive unbeaten run until Game 3 of the NBA Finals, securing 13 consecutive victories across four playoff series. The Knicks overcame the Hawks 4-2 in the first round, winning Games 4, 5, and 6, before completing two dominant sweeps in the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 respectively. They then opened the NBA Finals by winning Games 1 and 2 on the road, building a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals saw Jalen Brunson deliver a clutch performance, scoring 30 points to lead the Knicks to a 105-95 victory. Karl-Anthony Towns played a crucial role with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. Victor Wembanyama, with 26 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 assists, was the standout performer for the Spurs.

Despite having a rough shooting night and finishing with 20 points while shooting just 28% from the field, Captain Clutch Jalen Brunson’s late-game impact guided the Knicks to a thrilling 105-104 victory in Game 2. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 21 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block, while Brunson added 20 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals. Mikal Bridges also played a crucial role, contributing 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Wembanyama was once again the leading scorer for the Spurs, recording 29 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks.

After losing the first two games at home, the young Spurs, led by Wembanyama, responded with a 115-111 victory over the Knicks in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, securing a much-needed win to keep the series alive. Fuelled by the frustration of two consecutive losses, Wembanyama exploded for 32 points while adding 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Stephon Castle was the second-highest scorer for the Spurs with 23 points, along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Brunson remained the Knicks’ leading scorer for the third consecutive game, finishing with 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Game 4, which became an instant classic, saw the largest Finals comeback in the NBA history as Knicks overcame a 29-point deficit to win 107-106 and shock the entire basketball world. Despite holding a 29-point lead in the second quarter (57-28), owing to the white-hot shooting of Wembanyama, Devin Vassell and De’Aaron Fox, the inexperienced young Spurs were unable to maintain their lead during the latter half of the game. The relentless full-court press and aggressive trapping defense implemented by Knicks coach Mike Brown completely disrupted the Spurs’ offense, while Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby combined for 69 points to erase the deficit.

The six-foot undersized guard Jose Alvarado was an unlikely hero for the Knicks, as his forced turnovers, timely hustle plays, and aggressive defence against much larger opponents completely changed the energy of the game in the Knicks’ favour. Jalen Brunson was the highest scorer for the Knicks with 36 points, along with 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. OG Anunoby was the second-highest scorer with 33 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Victor Wembanyama was the highest scorer for the Spurs with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Capitalising on their surprise victory in Game 4, the Knicks closed out Game 5 with a 94-90 victory in San Antonio in another down-to-the-wire thriller to win the championship. Jalen Brunson, who scored a historic 45 points, took over the final quarter once again, dropping 13 consecutive points before icing the game with the winning shot. He also added 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Wembanyama was the highest scorer for the Spurs with 19 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 blocks.

Despite losing the Finals, many critics and reporters alike complimented the young Spurs, citing that they are simply ahead of schedule and that the young team will turn into formidable championship contenders in the coming years.

Interestingly, due to the massive New York market and Wembanyama’s international star power, the series averaged 19.6 million viewers over the five-game series, making it the most-watched NBA Finals since Michael Jordan’s final championship run in 1998. 

Moreover, the trio of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, who won the NCAA National Championship together at Villanova University in 2016, became the first trio of college teammates in history to win both an NCAA championship and an NBA championship together. 

This trio of “Nova Knicks” was the emotional core of the Knicks this season, as their egoless mindsets, honesty, brotherly banter, protective instincts and mental resiliency under severe pressure set the tone for the rest of the team.