This year’s NBA Finals were an exhilarating ride, with the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs neck-and-neck at pivotal moments during the five games played. The Spurs led by double digits at some point in every game, yet they could not stave off the Knicks. The Knicks’ appearance in the finals ended a 27-year drought of early endings to their season, and their Game 5 win ended a 53-year title drought.
Both All-NBA players Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama had impressive stats, with Brunson averaging 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals-per-game and Wembanyama averaging 26 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.6 blocks-per-game. Karl Anthony Towns played efficiently as Wembanyama’s primary defender, forcing his shots from the perimeter to make his field goal percentage 42%, and managing 15.9 points and 10.6 rebounds-per-game as well.
At first, Game One looked like the Spurs would come out on top, but the Knicks battled back. The game ultimately ended with New York taking the win 105-95.
Game Two was even more competitive, with the Knicks up by four at the end of the first half, and nine at the end of the third quarter. The Spurs tried to muster a comeback with Victor Wembanyama’s 29 points and De’Aaron Fox’s 20 points, but the Knicks managed to outlast them 105-104.
Game Three saw the Spurs win their first and only game, with Wembanyama putting up an impressive 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. This game ended the Knicks 13-game win streak in the postseason, a record second only to the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors 15-game postseason win streak.
Game Four saw an incredible 29-point comeback from the Knicks. The final minutes were exhilarating, with lay-up misses from both Knicks guards Fox and Josh Hart. When the dust settled, it was Knicks forward OG Anunoby’s tip-in that sealed the deal and gave the Knicks the win. Anunoby had 33 points while Brunson had 36 points. Game Five saw a stellar performance from Brunson, who finished with 45 points, powering his team through to beat San Antonio and bring the Larry O’Brien trophy home to New York once again.
Originally, the Knicks were not favored to win — betting odds aggregates had the Spurs at -194 and the Knicks at +162. This was no surprise due to prior criticisms of New York including their decision to hire four-time fired coach Mike Brown and Brunson not being a “1A dude,” as he recalled at their victory parade. However, the underdog team won it all and they did it in true sports fashion. The New York Knicks are your 2026 NBA Champions, beating the San Antonio Spurs and the critics.
Max Ulz is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @Dailylobo
