Knicks beat Spurs in Game 5 to win first NBA championship since 1973, ending 53-year drought
The Knicks end a 53-year title draught with 94-90 win in San Antonio
By Dan Zaksheske Fox News
SAN ANTONIO – The New York Knicks completed one of the most memorable seasons in franchise history Saturday night inside Frost Bank Center, beating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to capture their first championship since 1973.
The only downside was that they didn't win the clincher in front of the home fans at Madison Square Garden, but there were enough Knicks fans in San Antonio to make it feel like a New York City crowd at times.
New York entered the night with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to end 53 years of frustration. The Knicks completed a historic comeback in Game 4 to put themselves on the precipice of basketball greatness, and they finished the job on Saturday night. While they would have loved to do it at home, the Knicks clearly weren't going to give away an opportunity to clinch an NBA championship.
Game 5 started out like every other game in the series, with San Antonio quickly jumping out to a lead. The Spurs won the first quarter for the fifth straight time, and once again, the Knicks found themselves staring at a double-digit deficit.
New York scored just 13 points on 4-for-22 shooting in the opening quarter, tied for the second-fewest in an NBA Finals opening quarter in the shot-clock era, according to ESPN. Only the 2016 Golden State Warriors, who scored 11 points in the first quarter of Game 6 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, had fewer.
But the Knicks did what they’ve done all series.
After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, New York cut the deficit to five points at halftime. A late flagrant foul call against Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox helped New York turn one possession into five points with just over a minute left in the second quarter. The Knicks cut the lead to three, but Devin Vassell beat the first-half buzzer with a midrange jumper.
Jalen Brunson scored 16 of New York’s 37 first-half points, while Victor Wembanyama nearly posted a double-double in the first 24 minutes with nine points and nine rebounds. However, the Knicks had a major problem almost immediately after halftime. Karl-Anthony Towns, the team's most impactful big man, picked up his fourth foul just 15 seconds into the third quarter.
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