The New York Knicks are the NBA Champions for the 2025-26. The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 on Saturday night, taking Game 5 of the best-of-seven contest earning a 4-1 series victory.
New York won their four games by a cumulative 16 points, making the series one of the closest and most competitive in recent Finals memory. All totaled, the five games were decided by 20 points, an average of 4 per contest.
This was the Knicks’ first championship since 1973. With their victory, every title-winner
from the 1970’s has now won at least one other trophy save the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards, winners in 1977 and 1978, respectively.
New York guard Jalen Brunson won the Finals MVP award, courtesy of a 45- point performance in the clinching game. Brunson scored 15 in the decisive fourth quarter to cement his claim to the honor.
Spurs center Victor Wembanyama tallied 19 points on 7-19 shooting with 14 rebounds and 5 blocks in the Game 5 defeat. Starting guards Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox went 1-10 and 3-15, respectively.
The Knicks trailed 72-65 entering the final period, but Brunson and company completed yet another of their patented comebacks against a young, sometimes-bewildered Spurs team. The Knicks had set an NBA Finals record in the prior game with a 29-point scoreboard reversal.
After the Spurs defeated the “too straightforward” Trail Blazers in Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, Wembanyama famously bid Portland farewell by saying he was, “Excited to play against teams that will challenge more of the tactical, technical basketball aspect.” It looks like the young center finally got his wish. Seeing as how Wemby’s team blew multiple leads in the Finals—a series in which San Antonio frequently appeared to be outhustled, outsmarted, and outcoached—he may now have left New York saying the same thing. Circle of life, eh? Oops.
The Spurs, Knicks, and 28 other NBA teams will take the court again in October to battle for supremacy once again. Congratulations to the Knicks and New York fans in the meantime! The bars will be open late and the fire hydrants flowing in the Big Apple tonight. Well-deserved with the defining win.
