Knicks rally to end 73-year championship drought with Game 5 win
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 14, 2026, 11:00 PM
Last updated Jun 14, 2026
The New York Knicks clinched their first NBA championship since 1973 by defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the Finals on June 14, 2026. ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith expressed his emotional relief to witness the franchise's title after decades of disappointment. This victory marks the end of a 53-year wait for a championship for the Knicks, a moment Smith described as a lifetime in the making. Smith, while acknowledging prior skepticism, had predicted the Knicks would reach the Finals, but witnessing the win exceeded his expectations. The Knicks are now celebrated as worthy champions for their perseverance and history.
- •Knicks win NBA Finals, clinching title in Game 5.
- •Stephen A. Smith reflects on emotional significance of the victory.
- •Game took place at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
- •Knicks last won championship in 1973, ending a 73-year drought.
- •Smith had previously predicted the Knicks reaching the Finals.
- 1:00 PMYahoo Sports — Stephen A. Smith got exactly what he wanted from Trump callout with CNN, News Nation hits
- 11:00 PMYahoo Sports — Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith celebrates end of championship drought: ‘I never thought it’d happen’
"The New York Knicks finally broke through this weekend with their first NBA championship in more than half a century, a euphoric moment in sports history. But the most vocal Knicks fan in all of sports media was celebrating a victory that went beyond the orange and blue. Stephen A. Smith, a native New Yorker who…
"Stephen A. Smith hasn’t always been sure who exactly is on the New York Knicks roster at any given moment, but the outspoken ESPN star was briefly left unable to find the words after the team ended its 73-year NBA title drought on Saturday night. Smith was in San Antonio at the Frost Bank Center…
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJun 15, 2026, 1:00 PMStephen A. Smith got exactly what he wanted from Trump callout with CNN, News Nation hits
The New York Knicks finally broke through this weekend with their first NBA championship in more than half a century, a euphoric moment in sports history. But the most vocal Knicks fan in all of sports media was celebrating a victory that went beyond the orange and blue. Stephen A. Smith, a native New Yorker who…
- Yahoo SportsJun 14, 2026, 11:00 PMKnicks fan Stephen A. Smith celebrates end of championship drought: ‘I never thought it’d happen’
Stephen A. Smith hasn’t always been sure who exactly is on the New York Knicks roster at any given moment, but the outspoken ESPN star was briefly left unable to find the words after the team ended its 73-year NBA title drought on Saturday night. Smith was in San Antonio at the Frost Bank Center…
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