53 years!!!

[Fishjam]

Congrats to the Knicks fans across the tri-state. We've waited a long time.

Jalen Brunson was signed as a Free Agent from Dallas. Many people thought he wasn't good enough to lead a team but boy has he proved them wrong. He turned the franchise around. Brought a work ethic, a humbleness and quiet confidence that was infectious. He re-signed with the Knicks leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table so that the Knicks would have money to sign other players around him. Who does that in today's NBA?!?

He had a tremendous night tonight with 45 points and big play after big play to bring them back again. He's cemented his legacy in NY. He doesn't have multiple championships but he ranks with Jeter, Eli Manning and Mark Messier as kings of New York.

 

[TommyD82]

Incredible team that deserved to win. As I have posted I hate when it is all about the refs but now I know why my interest in the NBA has waned. The officiating was god awful and the NBA as a league is a joke in a lot of ways. 53 years is a long time. Congratulations NYK. Jalen Brunson is now in the same class as Mark Messier Joe Namath Derek Jeter Eli Manning & Phil Simms.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

US hosts a world cup a #11 in ny uniform ends a championship drought of more than 50 years

 

[Seton75]

To Prof Ed, HallDan, and all the Knick fans, its been a long time coming. Awesome. Very happy for all. I have never enjoyed a playoff run by a team I didnt root for as much as this one.

 

[Hall-O-Daze]

The Spurs are absolutely total choke artists. It's astounding to see how astute they are at blowing games. Nothing quite like it. As a fan of neither team, that was my big takeaway from the series. They could not finish if their loved one's lives depended upon it. Shameful.

That said, Congrats to The Knicks. Their ability to not go away while playing from behind is impressive. It's almost as if they are more comfortable playing from behind. Very resilient.

I said they were doomed when they ditched Thibs for Mike Brown, but it ended up paying off. I was 100% wrong.

 

[TommyD82]

You are not wrong about the Spurs. They are just very young and the coach is very young and needs some seasoning even with Pop behind the scenes.

 

[Hall-O-Daze]

You are not wrong about the Spurs. They are just very young and the coach is very young and needs some seasoning even with Pop behind the scenes.

I can't disagree with your assessment. The only thing I can say is this was a golden opportunity which they completely blew.

Knicks deserve a lot of credit - they earned this title - but the Spurs could have won each and every game....and then seemed to inexplicably fall apart when it mattered most. It's like they all almost simultaneously unplugged their game controllers.

They can't take for granted that they were in such a position. They can't take it for granted that they'll be back next year. The West is going to be gunning for them next season. The time was now.

It's a little difficult because a franchise that hasn't won since 1973 deserves its due. Yet what i came away with is man, those Spurs couldn't finish a frickin' game if their lives depended upon it.

 

[Halldan]

5-2 against the Spurs including the playoffs. They won the Commissioners Cup and the NBA title vs the Spurs. The Knicks were 5-6 point dogs in most every game except the 2 home playoff games where they were 1.5 and 2.5 favorites.

Few believed in them and I have little doubt if they played the finals again tomorrow they would be underdogs once more.

 

[Piratz]

Hard to believe it’s happened! What a run. Truly a team that was fun to watch and led by an absolute assassin in Brunson. Part of the reason the Spurs couldn’t close was the Knicks taking it to them.

Loved the ‘90s Knicks being there. That was the era they were so close to it, suffering such painful playoff losses.

What a moment.

 

[SPK145]

I was in 6th grade the last time the Knicks won the championship. Our teacher told us no homework for a week if either the Rangers or the Knicks won the championship, He kept his word,

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[Halldan]

 

[Halldan]

 

[Halldan]

 

[TommyD82]

Charles Barkley said the Spurs don't have a closer. He also said and is right that Jalen Brunson is the greatest free agent signing in NBA history. A 2nd round pick says he wants to win a championship after he signs takes $ 100 million less and has a performance for the ages that will live in immortality.

 

[Halldan]

Maybe Shaq and James were better choices. But they were major stars. Brunson at the time was not.

 

[hallstorm]

5-2 against the Spurs including the playoffs. They won the Commissioners Cup and the NBA title vs the Spurs. The Knicks were 5-6 point dogs in most every game except the 2 home playoff games where they were 1.5 and 2.5 favorites.

Few believed in them and I have little doubt if they played the finals again tomorrow they would be underdogs once more.

6-2 if you count the NBA cup game also.

 

[hallstorm]

Hard to believe it’s happened! What a run. Truly a team that was fun to watch and led by an absolute assassin in Brunson. Part of the reason the Spurs couldn’t close was the Knicks taking it to them.

Loved the ‘90s Knicks being there. That was the era they were so close to it, suffering such painful playoff losses.

What a moment.

1000%. As a long suffering Knicks fan, I couldn’t be happier.

It’s incredibly rare for me to see any of my teams on top—so much so I’d swear it was a dream (and I refused to post or say anything that could have jinxed the final outcome).

When many will point to the Spurs seemingly not having a “closer” or an inability to finish, they fail to see what the Knicks actually did.

To me, this was a master class on how to wear your opponent down and beat them into submission. Allow them to dictate the opening of the game, but take over and force your will in the second half when it counts most.

It’s always easy to hit 3’s in the first and second quarters (see Champagnie), but it’s much, much harder to find the strength, heart, tenacity and focus to convert at the end of games.

If you rewatch the second halves of this last series you’ll see all the missed free throws and fatigue - laden open shots. Even the Knicks missed a bunch (oh Josh Hart you were saved by OG).

But the Knicks were stronger, more experienced and calmer down the stretch.

It is what it is.

 

[Fishjam]

Brunson's stamina and strength are so underrated. To do what he does in the 4th quarters of these games, dominating the ball, beating bigger & quicker defenders when everyone knows he's going to take the shots is incredible.

The Spurs have some excellent on ball defenders and the world's most mobile 8-foot long shot-blocker and he still made play after play after play.

He is a Champion.

 

[Halldan]

6-2 if you count the NBA cup game also.

Good catch. I thought it was 6-2 but I Googled their record and it showed 5-2. Guess the Cup final didn't count in the season's record.

 

[Halldan]

1000%. As a long suffering Knicks fan, I couldn’t be happier.

It’s incredibly rare for me to see any of my teams on top—so much so I’d swear it was a dream (and I refused to post or say anything that could have jinxed the final outcome).

When many will point to the Spurs seemingly not having a “closer” or an inability to finish, they fail to see what the Knicks actually did.

To me, this was a master class on how to wear your opponent down and beat them into submission. Allow them to dictate the opening of the game, but take over and force your will in the second half when it counts most.

It’s always easy to hit 3’s in the first and second quarters (see Champagnie), but it’s much, much harder to find the strength, heart, tenacity and focus to convert at the end of games.

If you rewatch the second halves of this last series you’ll see all the missed free throws and fatigue - laden open shots. Even the Knicks missed a bunch (oh Josh Hart you were saved by OG).

But the Knicks were stronger, more experienced and calmer down the stretch.

It is what it is.

Rope-a-dope?