How the Knicks Won the 2026 NBA Finals, Ending a 53-Year Championship Drought

The momentum shifted dramatically in the fourth quarter. The Knicks' defense locked down, holding the Spurs to just 18 points on a frigid 7-of-25 (28%) shooting in the final period. This set the stage for Jalen Brunson to take control. The Knicks' star point guard delivered a performance for the ages, scoring 45 points, 13 of which came consecutively in the fourth quarter to extinguish the Spurs' hopes.

The final score of 94-90 marked the end of the longest active championship drought in the NBA. Brunson’s 45 points and late-game takeover etched his name into Finals lore and cemented his status as the series' most dominant player.

The Season-Defining Comeback in Game 4

Before the confetti could fall in San Antonio, the Knicks first had to produce a miracle on their home floor. Facing a 3-0 series deficit in Game 4, the Spurs came out firing and built a staggering 29-point lead in the first half. The game looked all but over, and a 2-2 series tie seemed inevitable.

Instead, the Knicks staged the biggest comeback of the NBA Finals since the NBA began recording play-by-play data. They methodically chipped away at the massive deficit, fueled by a stifling second-half defense that left the young Spurs shell-shocked. Anunoby hit crucial shots, but it was a full team effort that powered the historic rally.

The Knicks completed the comeback with a 107-106 win, tying the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. The victory didn’t just give them a 3-1 series lead; it broke the Spurs' spirit and transformed the team's identity, earning them the immortal nickname “The Comeback Knicks.”

A Postseason of Dominance

The 2026 title run was no Cinderella story. The Knicks were a powerhouse throughout the playoffs, finishing with an overall record of 16-3. Their journey to the finals was marked by a historic winning streak and stunning dominance over the Eastern Conference.

After a rocky first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, which they won 4-2 with both losses coming by a single point, the Knicks became an unstoppable force. They swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semifinals and then dismantled the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning 4-0. This incredible run included a 13-game winning streak, which at the time was the second-longest in a single postseason in NBA history, a testament to their consistency and focus.

Their three total losses—two nail-biters to the Hawks and a Game 3 loss to the Spurs at Madison Square Garden—reveal a team that, even in defeat, was nearly unbeatable. This 16-3 record underscores a dominant championship run, one that required both historic resilience and relentless excellence to end more than five decades of waiting.