San Antonio (Texas) [US], June 14 (ANI): The New York Knicks completed a remarkable championship run on Saturday (Local Time), defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Frost Bank Centre to secure their first NBA title since 1973.
Holding a 3-1 advantage entering the contest, the Knicks sealed the best-of-seven series 4-1 behind a sensational performance from Jalen Brunson, who scored a game-high 45 points and carried New York through another dramatic comeback victory.
The Spurs looked poised to extend the series after racing into an early lead and maintaining control for much of the night.
San Antonio built a double-digit advantage in the opening quarter and stretched the margin to 16 points in the second period as Victor Wembanyama dominated defensively with five first-half blocks.
New York struggled badly from the field early on, missing 16 of its first 18 shots and failing to convert any of its first 11 two-point attempts. Yet, as they had throughout the Finals, the Knicks refused to panic.
A 22-9 surge late in the second quarter cut the deficit to three before Devin Vassell’s buzzer-beater gave the Spurs a 42-37 lead at halftime in a game marked by intense defence and poor shooting from both sides.
The contest remained tight in the second half before Brunson took over in the closing stages. The All-Star guard scored 13 consecutive Knicks points in the fourth quarter and helped New York claim its first lead of the game with 3:40 remaining.
Once ahead, the Knicks held their nerve. San Antonio was unable to respond as New York completed yet another comeback, having rallied from double-digit deficits in all four of its victories in the series.
Brunson’s 45-point effort set a new franchise record for points in an NBA Finals game, surpassing the previous mark of 38 set by Knicks legend Willis Reed in 1970. Mikal Bridges added 14 points, while Josh Hart contributed 13.
For the Spurs, rookie Dylan Harper scored 25 points, while Wembanyama finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
The victory capped a dominant postseason for New York, which lost only three games throughout the playoffs and finally ended a 53-year wait to reclaim the NBA championship. (ANI)
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