Knicks 4-1: 53 years, Brunson 45, a 29-point Game 4
New York's first title since 1973. The series ran 3-13 June. The city remembered how to throw a parade.
Why this series matters
Fifty-three years is long enough that people in the building had never seen the last one. The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in June. Jalen Brunson was Finals MVP. The wait ended.
What actually happened
Game 1, 3 June: Knicks 105-95 in San Antonio. Game 2, 5 June: Knicks 105-104. Game 3, 8 June: Spurs 115-111 at MSG. Game 4, 10 June: Knicks 107-106, largest Finals comeback on record, 29 points in the second half, OG Anunoby tip-in with 1.2 seconds left. Game 5, 13 June: Knicks 94-90 in San Antonio, Brunson 45, tying Michael Jordan for most points on the road in a series-clinching Finals game.
Mike Brown’s Knicks had swept Cleveland in the East. Mitch Johnson’s Spurs had beaten Oklahoma City 4-3 in the West. First Finals since 1995 to open with two straight road wins. First since 1993 in which the road team won the first three.
What it changes
September basketball is not the NBA. Training camp is still ahead. The title is in New York. That is the only basketball sentence the men’s league gets on this desk until October.
Sources
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