Brunson, Knicks rally past Spurs, dash 53-year NBA title drought

After more than five decades, the Larry O’Brien is returning to New York City.

Jalen Brunson delivered a historic performance, pouring in 45 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday (PST) at Frost Bank Center, clinching the franchise’s first championship since 1973.

Brunson, who was named Finals MVP, spearheaded a resilient Knicks comeback after they trailed for most of the first three quarters. His 45-point explosion also set a new franchise record for points scored in an NBA Finals game, surpassing Willis Reed’s 38-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers in 1970.

The MVP shared his excitement in a post-game interview.

”I don’t know what I’m feeling,’ Brunson said.

”I’m in awe. Whenever someone counts us out, we find a way to come back and do something about it,”

Replicating their Game 4 win over San Antonio—coming back from 29 points in the half—the Knicks pulled yet another come-from-behind story, this time by as much as 16 (10 in the fourth), as Brunson projected 15 of his 45 points in the final frame to end his squad’s 53-year title dry spell.

With the game hanging in the balance, Mikal Bridges and OG Annunoby sank crucial free throws to seal the deal while the Knicks made defensive stops in the waning moments of the tilt, stopping Victor Wembanyama’s attempt from beyond the stripe.

Bridges and Annunoby also contributed to the championship-sealing victory for the Knicks, chipping in 14 and 11 markers, respectively. 

Despite the upset, Wemby’s double-double of 19 markers and 14 boards and the Phil-Am guard Dylan Harper’s 25-point output weren’t enough to give the Spurs a lifeline. 

With reports from Aljazeera