Knicks win 1st NBA championship in 53 years, NYC lights up with excitement
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The New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years Saturday, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the Finals. The victory ended a drought that stretched back to 1971, when the franchise last captured the title. New York erupted in celebration as the Knicks claimed the trophy, delivering a long-awaited championship to a city that has endured more than half a century without one. The win caps a remarkable playoff run and gives the storied franchise its third title in franchise history.
The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs Saturday in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, winning their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Eric Gay/Pool via Getty Images - PHOTO: Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against De'aaron of the San Antonio Spurs during the second half in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals, June 13, 2026 in San Antonio.
The Knicks won 94-90 at the Spurs' home court to a crowd that was packed with its fair share of Knick fans.
Scott Wachter/Imagn Images via Reuters - PHOTO: San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama reacts after a play against the New York Knicks in the second half during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals, June 13, 2026.
Back in the Big Apple, crowds across the city cheered as they watched from bars, outdoor watch parties and even outdoor kiosks.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters - PHOTO: New York Knicks fans watch Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, June 13, 2026, in New York.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson led the team with 45 points, capping an extraordinary run throughout the playoffs.
New York Knicks make record comeback to beat San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals"I don't know what I'm feeling. I'm in awe. Whenever anyone count us out, we found a way to go do something about it," he told ESPN's Lisa Salters.
Gary Hershorn/ABC News - PHOTO: The Empire State Building, JPMorgan Chase Building and One Vanderbilt in New York City illuminate in the colors of the New York Knicks during Game 5 of the NBA Finals on June 13, 2026.
Brunson was named finals MVP and joined on stage by his father Rick, an assistant coach on the Knicks.
"It's everything I've dreamed of, that's why I came to New York," Brunson said.
Andres Kudacki/AP Photo - PHOTO: New York Knicks fans watch Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, June 13, 2026, in New York.
Back in New York City, fans took to the streets to celebrate the long-awaited win. A huge crowd gathered outside Madison Square Garden, cheering enthusiastically as the win played out on a giant screen.
In parts of Brooklyn, fireworks went off, and cars and buses honked their horns, joining the loud chorus of cheers and cries from the fans.
Heather Khalifa/AP Photo - PHOTO: New York Knicks fans celebrate after winning Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, June 13, 2026, in New York.
The Knicks last won NBA championship in 1973. The last time the team made it to the Finals was in 1999 when they lost to the Spurs four games to one, with the final game taking place at the Garden.
Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo - PHOTO: The New York Knicks celebrate after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio.
The last time a New York City team won a professional basketball championship was two years ago when the New York Liberty won the WNBA Finals.
The Knicks' Finals run washighlighted by tight scores, incredible plays and, in Game 4, one of the biggest comebacks in NBA history.
Darren Abate/AP Photo - PHOTO: New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, right, hugs forward Og Anunoby during the after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio.
Two of the most powerful New Yorkers also got in on Knicks Finals fever.
President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game, when he watched Game 3 live from the Garden, where he was booed by the crowd during the national anthem performance.
Trump booed at Madison Square Garden as he and Mamdani attend Knicks gameNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also attended Game 3.
Darren Abate/AP Photo - PHOTO: The New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio.
Immediately after the win, the mayor's office announced a ticker-tape parade for the team will be held at City Hall Thursday.
"For more than 50 years, New Yorkers have waited for this moment," Mamdani said in a statement. "Through near misses, heartbreak and a hope that every year could be our year, this city never stopped believing in the Knicks. And this team fulfilled that hope with grit, resilience and heart, just like the five boroughs itself."