After 53 excruciating years, the New York Knicks are NBA champions after a valiant 16-point comeback victory over the San Antonio Spurs, 94-90, in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on Saturday Night. 

Just went it felt like the Spurs would be able to pull away and extend the series, the Knicks relied upon their cast of characters to finish off a historic run. 

For a franchise that has endured decades of heartbreak, this finish was fitting for one of most impressive playoff teams and Finals the league has seen in recent memory. 

The first half quickly spelled trouble for the Knicks, as they seemingly couldn't take the lid off the basket. Looking at just the first quarter alone the Knicks put a mere 13 points and had just four made field goals. 

Between a lack of consistent rhythm and sloppy ball handling, the Knicks found themselves down 31-15. Fortunately, the Spurs couldn’t hit their stride either with the Knicks defense battling down low and off the glass to keep them in the game. 

Their strength throughout this Finals has been their ability to close out the quarter. Despite hitting a season-low 37 points in the first half, the Knicks capitalized off a 22-11 run that featured four triples as they found themselves down just five by break. 

After Karl Anthony Towns picked up his fourth foul at the very beginning of the second half, the Knicks had to adjust once again and rotate in one of the smallest lineups ever seen in a Finals game with OG Anunoby being their tallest player on the floor for the majority of the second half. 

Yet, through all the adversity they’ve faced, it should come as no surprise that the Knicks simply found a way. Utilizing their unselfishness and reliance upon each other, they methodically worked their way back into it. 

Leading that charge was none other than the captain himself in Jalen Brunson. Cementing himself into Knicks history, he dropped 45 points in this biggest game of his life, the only Knick to ever drop 40+ in a finals game en route to winning Finals MVP.

With 29 of those coming in the second half, his driving layup with just over a minute left to give them a 90-88 lead, their first time out in front since it was 5-4. Better known as captain clutch, his go-ahead bucket helped keep them in front the rest of the way. 

Another unsung hero of this game will be Mitchell Robinson’s offensive rebound off Josh Hart’s missed free throw. Already with a 91-88 lead, he was able to dish it out to Anunoby and get him to make it a two-possession game at the line within the final 25 seconds.  

On the championship stage, seeing head coach Mike Brown barking “Who Let the Dogs Out” alongside his team serves as a reminder for just how gritty this team is. 

Perhaps one of the greatest NBA Finals teams ever assembled, the Knicks are bringing the Larry O-Brien trophy back to Madison Square Garden for the first time since 1973.