Spurs vs Knicks: The Most Clutch NBA Finals in Modern History
The New York Knicks are NBA champions for the first time since 1973 — a 53-year wait ended in a five-game Finals against the San Antonio Spurs so dramatic that, statistically, it’s unlike anything the league has produced in three decades of tracked play-by-play data.
How the series unfolded
New York stole home-court advantage immediately, winning Game 1 in San Antonio 105-95, then edging Game 2 105-104 to take a 2-0 series lead. The Spurs responded at Madison Square Garden with a 115-111 win in Game 3, before New York produced what’s been described as the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history, erasing a 29-point halftime deficit to steal Game 4, 107-106. The Knicks closed it out in Game 5, again in San Antonio, with Jalen Brunson delivering a Finals-record 45 points as New York overturned a 16-point deficit to win the series 4-1 and claim the franchise’s first title since 1973.
A genuinely historic level of drama
The numbers behind this series are remarkable even by championship-series standards: every single game was within five points in the final five minutes, the only Finals series in 30 years of tracked data to achieve that. Games 1 through 5 were all within three points in the final two minutes — just the fourth playoff series ever to manage that, and the first in a decade. The Spurs actually won the combined first quarters of all five games by 57 total points and led by as many as 29 points in Game 4 alone, yet New York finished the playoffs 6-2 in games they trailed by double digits — the best such record of any team in three decades of data, against a league-wide historical baseline of just 530 wins in 2,007 such games (roughly 21%).
Jalen Brunson’s signature moment
Brunson was named Finals MVP after averaging 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across the series, capped by his 45-point masterclass in the closing Game 5. ESPN’s Mike Breen captured the moment on the broadcast as the Knicks sealed the title: “Go ahead and cry. After 53 years, your Knicks are finally NBA champions once again!” Brunson’s late free throws gave New York a lead they never surrendered in the decisive game, closing out a rookie-laden Spurs side that had led for long stretches but couldn’t finish.
A tough finish for a genuinely good Spurs team
San Antonio’s defeat came despite a dominant 62-win regular season and a historic run through the Western Conference playoffs, including a seven-game series win over Oklahoma City to reach the Finals. Victor Wembanyama finished Game 5 with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks, and rookie Dylan Harper led Spurs scoring with 25 points, but San Antonio’s other key contributors — Stephon Castle (6 points on 1-for-10 shooting) and De’Aaron Fox (7 points on 3-for-15) — struggled badly in the closing game specifically. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was blunt afterward: “We weren’t ready to win an NBA championship. The better team won. We did a lot of good things, and we didn’t finish the job.”
What it means for New York
The championship ends the NBA’s longest active title drought and comes after the Knicks swept Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals to reach the championship round for the first time since 1999. It also marked the NBA’s eighth consecutive season with a unique champion — the longest such stretch in league history — and the first Finals since 2022 in which neither participant entered as the top seed in their conference.
Quick facts
Champion: New York Knicks (first title since 1973) | Series result: Knicks def. Spurs 4-1 | Finals MVP: Jalen Brunson (32.6 ppg) | Notable: Every game decided by 5 points or fewer in the final five minutes — the only such Finals series in 30 years of tracked data; Knicks completed the greatest halftime-deficit comeback in playoff history in Game 4.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 NBA Finals?
The New York Knicks, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1, their first title since 1973.
Who was the 2026 NBA Finals MVP?
Jalen Brunson, who averaged 32.6 points per game and scored a Finals-record 45 points in the series-clinching Game 5.
How did the Knicks win Game 4 after trailing by 29?
They erased a 29-point halftime deficit, completing the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history to win 107-106 and take a 3-1 series lead.
Was this a historically close Finals series?
Yes — it’s the only Finals in 30 years of play-by-play data where every game was within five points in the final five minutes.
When did the Knicks last win an NBA title before 2026?
1973, ending a 53-year championship drought.