Knicks End 53-Year Title Drought, Win Their First Championship Since 1973
On June 13, 2026, the New York Knicks ended one of the longest championship droughts in NBA history, beating San Antonio 4-1 to claim the franchise’s first title since 1973. Jalen Brunson and his team delivered the long-awaited crown that Knicks fans had been waiting decades to see, restoring New York’s status as a “City of Champions” after 53 years.
The Knicks also entered the record books with a rare playoff run. They became only the third team in history to finish a postseason with 16 wins and no more than three losses, joining the 2017 Golden State Warriors, who went 16-1, and the 2024 Boston Celtics, who went 16-3. The article notes that the first round only became best-of-seven in 2003, so earlier champions could not reach 16 playoff wins.
With the 2026 title, New York moved into sixth place on the NBA’s all-time championship list with three crowns, alongside Philadelphia, Detroit and Miami. Only Boston, with 18, the Lakers, with 17, Golden State, with 7, Chicago, with 6, and San Antonio, with 5, are ahead of it.
During the run, the Knicks won 13 straight games, the second-longest streak in playoff history. The only longer streak belongs to the Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant Warriors, who won 15 in a row nine years ago.
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