NBA Finals: Wembanyama's Spurs Collapse Again, Knicks Crowned Champions

New York has reached the basketball summit. After 1970 and 1973, the Knicks clinched their third NBA championship title last night, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 on their home court to win the series 4-1. They succeed Oklahoma City as champions.

The Spurs, who were considered favorites, faltered significantly. This collapse was particularly evident in Game 4, where they let a 29-point lead slip away in a 107-106 loss. In the deciding Game 5, they again held a lead of up to 16 points, only to see it evaporate. This marks a period of regret for the Texans and ecstasy for New Yorkers.

Despite foul trouble for Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby, the Knicks were powered by a heroic performance from Jalen Brunson, who scored 45 points on 14-of-27 shooting, nearly as many as the rest of his teammates combined. Brunson, a former Mavericks player, was awarded the Finals MVP trophy. For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama posted 19 points on 7-of-19 shooting, with 14 rebounds and 5 blocks. His young teammate Dylan Harper added 23 points, but the Spurs repeatedly made errors throughout the game.