Knicks rally again vs. Spurs, capture first NBA title since 1973 - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — Cigar smoke filled the air of San Antonio's Frost Bank Center as thousands of patrons chanted «Let's go Knicks» — a cathartic release of emotions some 53 years in the making.

In a postseason in which comeback victories had become their specialty, the New York Knicks completed one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history with a title-clinching 94-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night.

It wasn't a record 29-point comeback like New York one they pulled off in Game 4 but rather a methodical walking down of the Spurs, outlasting San Antonio as the Knicks had every playoff opponent. The Spurs led 83-73 with 8:21 left on Saturday night. Then the Knicks went to work.

The Knicks outscored opponents by a combined 283 points this postseason, by far the largest point differential in NBA playoff history.

A team full of players who had been given up on and a coach whom many believed couldn't put it together turned in one of the most gratifying victories in recent NBA memory.

As much as it felt inevitable — the Spurs running out of offense and the Knicks riding Jalen Brunson — it was another emotion-filled contest, and Knicks coach Mike Brown was frozen with emotion after the buzzer sounded.

«I couldn't believe it, that was the first thing,» Brown said. «It was surreal. I couldn't believe that it was happening. And I am so tired. I mean, I'm gassed. And you know, just this stuff is harder than what you think. And you know, you have to have great assistants. You have to have great players, but I was gassed.»

It was especially fitting for Brown, who was hired last summer after the Knicks attempted to interview so many other coaches in the wake of firing Tom Thibodeau. Brown