Jalen Brunson and the Comeback Knicks did it again. And now they’re the Champion Knicks. For the first time in 53 years, New York rules the NBA. Brunson scored 45 points, including 13 straight for New York in the fourth quarter, and the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night. The Knicks won the series 4-1, rallying from double-digit deficits in all four of those victories. The deficit was 16 on Saturday night. Brunson and
the Knicks were never fazed. Brunson, fittingly, closed with a flourish. He set a Knicks record for points in a finals game; it had been 38 by Willis Reed against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the 1970 series. It now belongs to the left-handed point guard who changed the franchise’s fortunes when he arrived four years ago. Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart — the other two parts of the “Nova Knicks” trio that also includes Brunson, three players who were NCAA champions
at Villanova and teamed up in New York to try to do the same — combined to score 27 points. Bridges had 14, Hart 13. Brunson won NCAA crowns twice with Villanova — both in Texas, the 2016 one in Houston and the 2018 one in San Antonio, just a few miles away from the arena that the Spurs call home. A Texas three-step of titles, and this one was surely the sweetest of all. Dylan Harper scored 25 for the Spurs, who got 19
points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots from Victor Wembanyama. PreviewThe NBA Finals will be a whole new world for most Knicks, Spurs playersTHE BUZZERThis Wemby vs. Knicks Finals is exactly what the NBA needs The Knicks improved to 4-0 in closeout opportunities this season, winning them all on the road. It didn’t feel like the road, though — not with thousands of New York faithful having made the trip to Texas to see a moment 53 years in the making. New York got to
the brink of this title by rallying from 29 points down in Game 4 to win 107-106 on OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 1.2 seconds left on Wednesday night. It was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history and the biggest comeback in any game this season, regular season or playoffs. By comparison, then, a 16-point rally in this one seemed easy.
New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, NBA Finals, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, OG Anunoby, Game 5, 53 years
Brunson with 45?? Dude went nuclear. Knicks really are the Kings now lol.
I swear the Spurs just let them win, like that’s the vibe I got. 53 years is crazy though. Wemby had 14 rebounds but still couldn’t carry it.
So they were down 16 and still won 94-90… but that 107-106 tip-in in Game 4 means the whole finals was basically a fluke? Idk man, it says largest comeback ever and then “easy” 16 points, like come on.
I’m confused, didn’t they already win like 2 years ago? Also Willis Reed comparison like why are we bringing old Lakers into it, unless that’s like the new contract or something. Either way OG Anunoby clutch as hell, and Wemby blocking shots but not scoring enough… sounds like coaching to me.