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The New York Knicks were crowned NBA champions on Saturday night after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 to seal a 4-1 series win in the NBA Finals.
Knicks finish strong in Game 5
The Spurs held a 10-point advantage midway through the fourth quarter and looked capable of extending the series, but the Knicks gradually took control as San Antonio’s offence stalled.
New York closed the game with a big run, once again leaning on the leadership of Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and a defense that has dominated their playoff campaign.
Brown rewarded after difficult road
Head coach Mike Brown admitted the achievement had not fully sunk in after the final buzzer.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Brown said.
“It felt surreal. I’m exhausted. This has been a long journey and you need great players and great staff around you to achieve something like this.”
Brown arrived in New York under pressure after being appointed last summer following the departure of Tom Thibodeau.
The hiring process was heavily discussed at the time, with the Knicks linked to several other candidates before eventually turning to the experienced coach.
Rather than dwelling on the outside noise, Brown focused on building a team identity that ultimately delivered the franchise’s long-awaited championship.
“I could only control what I could control,” he said.
“There was plenty being said about who the club wanted, but I just stayed focused on the opportunity in front of me.”
Historic playoff dominance
New York’s title was built on one of the most impressive postseason performances the NBA has seen.
The Knicks finished the playoffs with a point differential of plus-283, setting a new league record and surpassing several legendary championship teams.
Josh Hart, one of the leaders of the squad, spoke about what winning the title meant after a career that has included multiple trades.
“The only thing I’ve ever wanted is to win,” Hart said.
“I’ve been doubted plenty of times and moved around a lot, but New York embraced me for who I am.
“I make mistakes like everyone else, but I always try to give everything I have to help the team win.”
Wembanyama stiff in post-match assessment
For Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, it was a painful night. “It hurts,” the French star said.
“But I’m not trying to avoid that feeling. I’m going to use it. This is the biggest lesson of my life. As a team, there is no better experience than what we’ve just been through.”
San Antonio’s defeat was made more frustrating by the number of winning positions they held throughout the series.
The Spurs established double-digit leads in all five games but were unable to close out four of them, with Game 5 following a similar pattern.
Wembanyama made a major impact defensively early in the contest, recording five first-half blocks as the Spurs held New York to their lowest first-half points total of the season.
However, the game swung in the closing stages as Finals MVP Jalen Brunson took over.
The Knicks guard scored 15 points in the final period and finished with 45 on the night as New York closed the game on a 21-7 run.
“The margin for error is tiny,” Wembanyama added.
“We had periods where we completely controlled games. But when we made mistakes, they punished us immediately. The highs weren’t the problem. The lows were.”
