The New York Knicks won the National Basketball Association championship for the first time in over 50 years, sending the city and fans into a frenzy after the long-awaited victory.
The Knicks clinched the title on Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs, 94-90, in the fifth game of the best-of-seven series.
While the game was in Texas, New Yorkers took to their hometown streets in droves to watch and celebrate the milestone for fans and the city. Some fans also made their way to Texas where the two teams faced off at the Frost Center, the Spurs’ home arena.
This season has represented a stunning reversal of fortune for the Knicks after decades as one of the worst teams in the league. The last time they made it all the way to the finals was in 1999, also against the Spurs, who ultimately beat them. Their last finals win was even earlier, in 1973.
Elizabeth Madigan flew to San Antonio from New York on Friday night ahead of Saturday’s game.
“I’ve been waiting for this, honestly most of my life. The last time the Knicks won, I was six months old, and so I can’t begin to describe how excited I am. It’s been unbelievable,” she said.
“I definitely had my doubts. But we did pull it off. Knicks forever.”
One fan who only gave his first name, Max, said that winning the game away from the Knicks’ home arena in Madison Square Garden isn’t important.
“I don’t think it matters that they won in Texas. New York is going crazy right now and there’s a million Knicks fans here right now, so it doesn’t matter.”
US President Donald Trump posted congratulations to the team and Knicks owner Jim Dolan, who invited him to game three of the series in New York.
“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four – maybe the greatest in the history of basketball,” the post read.
Fans celebrated into the early hours on Sunday morning with crowds taking over parts of Midtown Manhattan, including several blocks near Times Square. Some subway lines were altered with trains skipping stations due to the large crowds.
“HISTORY,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on social media.
“Through near misses, heartbreak and a hope that every year could be our year, this city never stopped believing in the Knicks,” the mayor said.
A ticker-tape parade and ceremony at City Hall to celebrate the team’s victory is scheduled for Thursday. The mayor called on fans to be responsible, look out for one another, and stay safe. His call for safety came after a few instances of violence in New York against Spurs fans, including one assault that landed a fan in the hospital.
