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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The New York Knicks, behind a brilliant 45-point performance from Jalen Brunson, rallied late vs. the San Antonio Spurs once again in Game 5 to close out the series and capture the franchise's first NBA title since 1973.
Jalen Brunson has 43 points and led the Knicks back into the lead, 88-86 with less than 2 minutes to play.
Jalen Brunson tied the game at 83 with just over 4 minutes to play.
The Knicks have closed to within 6 points with 7 minutes to play. Brunson leading the team with 34 points.
