For the first time in 53 years, the New York Knicks are NBA Champions. Jalen Brunson earned MVP honors.
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Comeback Knicks did it again. And now they're the Champion Knicks.
For the first time in 53 years, New York rules the NBA. Jalen Brunson scored 45 points, including 13 straight for New York in the fourth quarter, and the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night.
The Knicks won the series 4-1, rallying from double-digit deficits in all four of those victories. The deficit was 16 on Saturday night. Brunson and the Knicks were never fazed.
"It's surreal," Knicks coach Mike Brown, who was hired a year ago -- making him the franchise's 24th coach since the franchise's last championship in 1973. "I still can't believe it's happened."
Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart -- the other two parts of the "Nova Knicks" trio that also includes Brunson, three players who were NCAA champions at Villanova and teamed up in New York to try to do the same -- combined to score 27 points. Bridges had 14, Hart 13.
"I don't know what I'm feeling," Brunson said. "I'm in awe. Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to come back and do something about it."
Dylan Harper scored 25 for the Spurs, who got 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots from Victor Wembanyama.
"This is the biggest lesson of my life, the biggest learning moment," Wembanyama said. "I can't tell exactly what the lesson is, but we're learning."
The Knicks improved to 4-0 in closeout opportunities this season, winning them all on the road. It didn't feel like the road, though -- not with thousands of New York faithful having made the trip to Texas to see a moment 53 years in the making.
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Spike Lee wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times on Wednesday that spoke directly to something that is beyond the Knicks and is fundamentally a New York experience.
The title of his piece is "Wemby is Going Down," and Lee is predicting the Knicks win in six. Spike believes the city craves a championship.
Many fans have gone the extra miles to catch their team on the road.
They are not shy about walking around in enemy territory sporting their Knicks gear, including Eric Tom and his wife.
Back in 1999, Tom was in San Antonio for the first championship game between the Knicks and Spurs.
Our Sandra bookman interviewed him 27 years ago, and he was wearing his Allen Houston jersey. He still has it today.
He's back feeling good about the Knicks' chances of turning the tables this time.
Knicks fandom goes beyond the borders of the city, including Long Island, where you can literally taste the excitement.
The hope of that victory is sweet at The Dotcakes Bakery in Roslyn Heights, who has taken the internet by storm with their Knicks-themed cakes and desserts.
"Today we've decided to go full Knicks theme. Let's go Knicks! Hopefully it brings the team good luck," said Alex Posner of The Dotcakes Bakery.
Fans also filed into Buttercooky Bakery in Manhasset as well, with some hoping to eat through their worries about the San Antonio Spurs.
They have everything from Knicks rainbow cookies to their own dot cake cups and cakes.
"The last time that they were in the championship was 1999 against the Spurs, so this is like a rematch. It's a big deal," said Francesco Borgognone of Buttercooky Bakery.
Jalen Brunson might be playing for something more than a championship in these NBA Finals.
After just four years, he is all over the record book for a New York Knicks franchise that has been around for all 80 NBA seasons.
He is already third on its career list in playoff points.
Patrick Ewing and Walt Frazier are the only Knicks still ahead of him. Those two and fellow Hall of Famer Willis Reed are widely regarded as the top players in franchise history.
If Brunson leads the Knicks to the title now, there's an argument he could be the best of them all.
