Knicks championship – The New York Knicks clinched their first NBA championship in 53 years on Saturday night, rallying from a 16-point deficit to beat the Spurs in Game 5 of the Finals. Their victory unleashed tens of thousands into New York streets—including Times Square—where cl
NEW YORK — Bedlam hit Broadway almost as soon as the confetti dust had time to settle.
After the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years on Saturday night, the celebrations spilled far beyond Madison Square Garden. On big screens outside, a crowd watched as the Knicks rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the Spurs in San Antonio in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Then came the rush: tens of thousands filled the streets, and the rowdiest part of the crowd turned violent. Windshields were smashed. People scaled scaffolding, light poles and a statue. In Times Square, celebrants climbed into and atop school buses and tried to hitch rides on a moving fire truck.
Around 2 a.m., police said a 17-year-old was shot near 42nd Street and Broadway. Bystander video captured the sound of at least seven shots, with people crouching and running for cover. Police said the victim was taken to the hospital because an ambulance could not get through the crowds. Police recovered a gun and took three people into custody.
Police also said four people were stabbed or slashed. One of the school buses—being used for World Cup transportation—was set on fire and engulfed in flames. Other buses and five police cars were damaged.
In all, 63 people were arrested. Police said the charges included assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
Even as the city celebrated, Knicks owner James Dolan urged restraint while speaking in San Antonio after the game. “We need to tell everybody in New York that we know that they’re celebrating. we want them to have a great time. ” Dolan said. interrupting guard Josh Hart’s news conference. “Please be safe. Don’t get hurt, don’t hurt anybody.”.
The city’s official celebration is scheduled for Thursday, with a parade and a City Hall ceremony.
The night’s emotions were split sharply. As the final buzzer sounded in Game 5. anxiety that had gripped the Knicks through the first three quarters gave way to euphoria. Fireworks boomed over Brooklyn and Central Park. Fans flocked to Times Square and ran through the streets. Outside the Garden, they sang the team’s anthem: “Go New York, Go New York, Go!”.
In Brooklyn, police officers and ambulance workers shouted “Let’s go Knicks” over loudspeakers. Strangers shook hands and hugged. In the Lincoln Tunnel, people riding buses back from the World Cup at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey celebrated with honking horns.
Mathieu Ogno, of Long Island, wiped away tears at a team-sanctioned watch party at Wollman Rink in Central Park. “I’m so overwhelmed. I’m so happy,” he said, wearing the jersey of Knicks captain Jalen Brunson.
Brunson’s 45 points powered the victory and earned him NBA Finals MVP, a performance that fans embraced as gritty and stubbornly determined. His chip-on-the-shoulder style has made him a favorite in a city that knows exactly what it means to claw through tough seasons.
The championship itself arrived with historic weight. It came 19. 392 days after the Knicks’ last title. and it capped a post-season that carried the franchise through a long drought. The Knicks had not been to the NBA Finals since losing to the Spurs in 1999. Since April 23, the team won 15 of 16 games, with their lone loss coming Monday in Game 3. Their last title in 1973 was also won on the road in a Game 5. and their first in 1970 came at home in a Game 7—yet neither season was celebrated with a parade.
Shawn Muoneke, 26, said he’d watched years of near-misses turn into a moment he’d been waiting for since childhood. “I’m happy to see my Knicks finally make it over the hump,” he said. “I’ve seen them knock on the door. They were knocking on the door the past few years. But they finally made it over the hump. and I’m so happy to see it and I’m so happy I’m in the city to experience it.” Muoneke said he drove from Maryland to be in New York for Game 5 at the team’s Central Park watch party. adding that the vibes in the city “are the highest they’ve ever been.”.
The political world joined the celebration too. President Donald Trump. a longtime Knicks fan who attended Game 3 at the Garden with Dolan. congratulated the team on his Truth Social platform. “What a year it has been but. even more so. what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed. especially the last four – Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball. ” Trump wrote. With Brunson’s clutch performance, he added, “a superstar was born.”.
As Saturday turned into Sunday, police planned for more unrest after prior violence in the city following Games 3 and 4 in New York, violence that left officers injured and a teen in a coma. The mood in the streets may have shifted to triumph, but the authorities’ message stayed blunt.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on social media: “As we celebrate, be responsible, look out for one another, stay safe, be smart, and make this a night that reflects the very best of our city. Let’s go Knicks.”
For a franchise and a city still riding the high of a championship that ended a 53-year wait, the question now is how much of the joy can survive the chaos.
New York Knicks NBA Finals Spurs Game 5 Jalen Brunson Finals MVP Madison Square Garden Times Square shooting Knicks parade Zohran Mamdani James Dolan Josh Hart Mathieu Ogno Shawn Muoneke