The New York Knicks are NBA champions for the first time in 53 years. Relive Jalen Brunson heroics, emotional celebrations, championship scenes and unforgettable moments from the 2026 NBA Finals victory over the Spurs

<p>After 53 years of waiting, New York Knicks fans erupted in celebration as their team won the 2026 NBA title. From tears outside Madison Square Garden to packed streets, these photos capture a city rejoicing</p>

In Pictures | How New York celebrated the Knicks' first NBA Championship since 1973

<p>The New York Knicks rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to defeat Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday (June 3). Jalen Brunson led the way with 30 points as the Knicks secured a hard-fought road victory and took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 2 is set for Friday (June 5) in San Antonio.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Spurs built a seven-point halftime advantage behind early scoring bursts from Dylan Harper and Julian Champagnie. At the same time, Jalen Brunson struggled offensively and briefly dealt with minor knee and ankle injuries. New York responded in the third quarter, rallying from a 14-point deficit before taking control in the fourth as Brunson found his rhythm by attacking aggressively. San Antonio mounted a late 9-0 run, fueled by Victor Wembanyama, to erase the Knicks' lead with less than five minutes remaining. However, Brunson answered with a clutch corner three-pointer that put New York back in front for good.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-girl-who-nearly-walked-away-maja-chwalinska-s-fairytale-french-open-run-reaches-historic-semifinal-1780538026199"><strong>The girl who nearly walked away: Maja Chwalinska's fairytale French Open run reaches historic semifinal</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Brunson finished with 30 points on 12-of-31 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns recorded an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double in a hard-fought matchup against Wembanyama, who posted 26 points and 12 rebounds. “Just sticking together, it wasn't really our night and wasn't really my night most of the night, but we kept finding a way, kept chipping away,” Brunson was quoted as saying after the match finished.</p><h2>Watch this ridiculous shot by Jalen Brunson</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;JALEN BRUNSON DOES IT AGAIN!&quot;<br><br>13 IN THE 4Q. 30 FOR THE GAME.<br><br>KNICKS LEAD BY 6. 37.8 SECONDS TO GO. <a href="https://t.co/dyiDJoklmi">pic.twitter.com/dyiDJoklmi</a></p>&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://x.com/NBA/status/2062371548506263803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Brunson was one of four Knicks to score in double figures, with Karl-Anthony Towns contributing 18 points, OG Anunoby adding 17, and Landry Shamet chipping in 13. Victor Wembanyama paced the Spurs with 26 points and 12 rebounds, though he endured a tough shooting night, connecting on just 6 of his 21 field-goal attempts while also recording three blocks. Stephon Castle finished with 17 points for San Antonio, while Dylan Harper and Julian Champagnie added 16 points each.</p>

The New York Knicks overcame a 14-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in NBA Finals Game 1, led by Jalen Brunson's 30 points

The New York Knicks rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to defeat Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday (June 3). Jalen Brunson led the way with 30 points as the Knicks secured a hard-fought road victory and took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 2 is set for Friday (June 5) in San Antonio. The Spurs built a seven-point halftime advantage behind early scoring bursts from Dylan Harper and Julian Champagnie. At the same time, Jalen Brunson struggled offensively and briefly dealt with minor knee and ankle injuries. New York responded in the third quarter, rallying from a 14-point deficit before taking control in the fourth as Brunson found his rhythm by attacking aggressively. San Antonio mounted a late 9-0 run, fueled by Victor Wembanyama, to erase the Knicks' lead with less than five minutes remaining. However, Brunson answered with a clutch corner three-pointer that put New York back in front for good. Also Read: The girl who nearly walked away: Maja Chwalinska's fairytale French Open run reaches historic semifinal Brunson finished with 30 points on 12-of-31 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns recorded an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double in a hard-fought matchup against Wembanyama, who posted 26 points and 12 rebounds. “Just sticking together, it wasn't really our night and wasn't really my night most of the night, but we kept finding a way, kept chipping away,” Brunson was quoted as saying after the match finished. Watch this ridiculous shot by Jalen Brunson

<p>New York Knicks erase a 14-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in NBA Finals Game 1, as Jalen Brunson scores 30 points in the road win</p>

NBA Finals 2026: New York Knicks beat San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1

<p>The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs will face off in the NBA Finals beginning on Thursday (June 4), with both franchises aiming to end lengthy championship droughts. Led by Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. The franchise last appeared on basketball's biggest stage when it defeated LeBron James and the Miami Heat to capture the Larry O'Brien Trophy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Knicks are back in the Finals for the first time since 1999, when they also faced the Spurs. New York is seeking its first NBA championship since 1973, ending a 53-year wait for the title. The matchup guarantees that the NBA will crown a different champion for the eighth consecutive season, highlighting the league's growing competitive balance.</p><h2>How do the teams reach the Finals?</h2><p>San Antonio booked its place in the Finals after staging a stunning comeback from a 3-2 series deficit to eliminate defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The Knicks enjoyed a smoother path, sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. New York enters the championship series riding an 11-game winning streak.</p><h2>Projected starting lineups</h2><p><strong>New York Knicks: </strong>Jalen Brunson (PG), Mikal Bridges (SG), OG Anunoby (SF), Josh Hart (PF), Karl-Anthony Towns (C)</p><p><strong>San Antonio Spurs: </strong>Stephon Castle (PG), De'Aaron Fox (SG), Devin Vassell (SF), Julian Champagnie (PF), Victor Wembanyama (C)</p><h2>What is the format in the NBA Finals?</h2><p>The NBA Finals will be played in a best-of-seven format. As the higher-seeded team, the Spurs will host Games 1, 2, 5, and, if necessary, Game 7 at Frost Bank Center. Games 3, 4, and, if necessary, Game 6 will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York.</p><h2>NBA Finals 2026 schedule (IST)</h2><ul><li>Game 1: Knicks vs Spurs – June 4, 6:00 AM</li><li>Game 2: Knicks vs Spurs – June 6, 6:00 AM</li><li>Game 3: Spurs vs Knicks – June 9, 6:00 AM</li><li>Game 4: Spurs vs Knicks – June 11, 6:00 AM</li><li>Game 5: Knicks vs Spurs – June 14, 6:00 AM (if necessary)</li><li>Game 6: Spurs vs Knicks – June 17, 6:00 AM (if necessary)</li><li>Game 7: Knicks vs Spurs – June 20, 6:00 AM (if necessary)</li></ul><p><strong>All games are scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM ET.</strong></p><h2>Live streaming information</h2><p>Fans in India can watch the NBA Finals through the league's official YouTube channel, with no television broadcast available.</p><p>In the United States, every game will be televised on ABC and streamed live via the ESPN app.</p>

The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs clash in the 2026 NBA Finals. Check schedule, start times, lineups, live streaming details, and key storylines

The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs will face off in the NBA Finals beginning on Thursday (June 4), with both franchises aiming to end lengthy championship droughts. Led by Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. The franchise last appeared on basketball's biggest stage when it defeated LeBron James and the Miami Heat to capture the Larry O'Brien Trophy. The Knicks are back in the Finals for the first time since 1999, when they also faced the Spurs. New York is seeking its first NBA championship since 1973, ending a 53-year wait for the title. The matchup guarantees that the NBA will crown a different champion for the eighth consecutive season, highlighting the league's growing competitive balance. How do the teams reach the Finals? San Antonio booked its place in the Finals after staging a stunning comeback from a 3-2 series deficit to eliminate defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. The Knicks enjoyed a smoother path, sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. New York enters the championship series riding an 11-game winning streak. Projected starting lineups New York Knicks: Jalen Brunson (PG), Mikal Bridges (SG), OG Anunoby (SF), Josh Hart (PF), Karl-Anthony Towns (C) San Antonio Spurs: Stephon Castle (PG), De'Aaron Fox (SG), Devin Vassell (SF), Julian Champagnie (PF), Victor Wembanyama (C) What is the format in the NBA Finals? The NBA Finals will be played in a best-of-seven format. As the higher-seeded team, the Spurs will host Games 1, 2, 5, and, if necessary, Game 7 at Frost Bank Center. Games 3, 4, and, if necessary, Game 6 will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York. NBA Finals 2026 schedule (IST) Game 1: Knicks vs Spurs – June 4, 6:00 AM Game 2: Knicks vs Spurs – June 6, 6:00 AM Game 3: Spurs vs Knicks – June 9, 6:00 AM Game 4: Spurs vs Knicks – June 11, 6:00 AM Game 5: Knicks vs Spurs – June 14, 6:00 AM (if necessary) Game 6: Spurs vs Knicks – June 17, 6:00 AM (if necessary) Game 7: Knicks vs Spurs – June 20, 6:00 AM (if necessary) All games are scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM ET. Live streaming information Fans in India can watch the NBA Finals through the league's official YouTube channel, with no television broadcast available. In the United States, every game will be televised on ABC and streamed live via the ESPN app.

<p>Knicks and Spurs meet in the 2026 NBA Finals as both franchises seek to end long title droughts in a historic championship showdown</p>

NBA Finals 2026: San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks. Check schedule, start time, live streaming and teams

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In Pictures | How New York celebrated the Knicks' first NBA Championship since 1973

NBA Finals 2026: New York Knicks beat San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1

NBA Finals 2026: San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks. When and where to watch