π 'BING BONG': Top reactions to Knicks' NBA title...
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports β scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 to win their first NBA Championship since 1973, ending a 53-year title drought and prompting fans to flood the streets of New York.
- Jalen Brunson scored 45 points with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the clincher, was named Finals MVP, and was visibly overcome with emotion in his postgame interview.
- The Empire State Building lit up in blue and orange, and all other major NYC pro franchises β the Yankees, Mets, Islanders, Rangers, Giants, Jets, and Liberty β posted congratulations on social media.
- Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani declared 'Parade. Thursday. Manhattan,' while former President Barack Obama praised Coach Brown, Finals MVP Brunson, and OG, calling the run 'incredible.'
- NBA peers and celebrities including Bad Bunny, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Howard, Russell Wilson, Isaiah Thomas, Maxx Crosby, and Cam Schlittler flooded social media with reactions, and the Warriors and Timberwolves also issued official congratulations.
Why it matters: The Knicks' first title since 1973 ends the NBA's longest active championship drought, with Brunson's 45-point Game 5 cementing his status as the franchise's defining player. Every major NYC pro team and the Empire State Building publicly celebrated, marking one of the rare moments when the city's entire sports ecosystem aligned behind a single champion.
