The New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years on Saturday night, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in a Game 5 close-out victory. The win marks the franchise’s first title since 1973. Following the victory, Jalen Brunson was named the Finals MVP. Brunson, 29, scored 45 points in the clinching game, tying an NBA record for the most points scored by a road player in a series-clinching victory. According to The New York Times, he is the only player to ever score 45 points in a close-out NBA Finals win, joining Michael Jordan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bob Pettit. During the five-game series, Brunson averaged 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. In the final game, he scored 15 points in the fourth quarter as the Knicks overcame a deficit of as many as 10 points. The victory follows a period of steady improvement for the Knicks under owner James Dolan, who has controlled the team for 27 years. Since Brunson arrived as a marquee free-agent signing in 2022, the team has reached the Eastern Conference semifinals every season. The New York Times noted that prior to his arrival, the team had only made past the first round once in 21 years. Brunson also took a pay cut during his 2024 extension to allow the front office to build a contender. The win has sparked celebrations in the streets of New York. During the trophy presentation, Brunson received both the Larry O’Brien trophy and the Finals MVP trophy. He expressed his gratitude to the city, stating to ESPN’s Ernie Johnson, “This is why I picked New York.” The New York Times also highlighted Brunson’s personal ties to the organization, noting his father, Rick Brunson, is a Knicks assistant coach and his agent, Leon Rose, is the team’s president of basketball operations.