Brunson Drops 45 as Knicks End 53-Year Title Drought Sport By lines June 14, 2026 The Knicks NBA title wait ended Saturday night in San Antonio. Jalen Brunson scored 45 points in the Game 5 clincher. The New York Knicks won their first championship since 1973. Brunson Delivers The Closeout New York Waited 53 Years To See The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 in San Antonio. Jalen Brunson scored 45 points in that closeout win. Brunson earned the 2026 NBA Finals MVP award for the series. The New York Knicks captured the franchise’s first NBA title since 1973. The New York Knicks won the championship series four games to one. New York erased a 29-point deficit earlier to seize a 3-1 lead. Jalen Brunson then poured in 45 points to finish Game 5. The San Antonio Spurs could not contain Brunson across the five games. New York last lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy back in 1973. That gap spanned 53 seasons without an NBA title for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson joined the New York Knicks in 2022 as a free agent. Brunson now anchors only the third championship in Knicks history. The Knicks previously won NBA titles in 1970 and 1973. The San Antonio Spurs reached the 2026 Finals behind Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama and the Spurs fell one series short of a title. Victor Wembanyama called the Finals loss the biggest lesson of his life. The 2026 defeat hands San Antonio a clear target for next season. The 2026 title reshapes the NBA landscape heading into the offseason. Jalen Brunson strengthens his case among the league’s best guards. The New York Knicks now sit atop the NBA for the first time in decades. Brunson and New York carry that momentum into 2026 free agency. The Knicks had not reached the NBA Finals since the 1999 season. The New York Knicks now turn to a championship parade on Thursday, June 18. The Knicks parade runs along the Canyon of Heroes on Broadway. Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the route from The Battery to City Hall. New York fans get their first NBA title celebration since 1973. The Canyon of Heroes has hosted New York title parades for decades. Related Sports Coverage Knicks One Win From First Title Since 1973 in Game 5Knicks Erase 29-Point Hole, Take 3-1 Finals LeadKnicks Eye 3-1 Lead as Spurs Bring Road Magic to MSG Sources: ESPN and CBS Sports reported the Game 5 result, Brunson’s award, and the parade details.
