New York ends with a curse that lasted more than half a century

BarcelonaThe New York Knicks overcame a 16-point deficit, defeated the San Antonio Spurs (90-94) and were crowned NBA champions (1-4). Jalen Brunson, who scored 45 points, led the franchise's triumph, which had not won the ring since 1973.

The NBA Finals were marked by the comeback in the fourth game, in which Mike Brown's team overturned a 29-point deficit, but in the other four games of the title series, the New York team recovered deficits of 14, 12, 12, and 16 points. An example of their resilience. And also of the inexperience of some Spurs who still have a lot to learn.

"I have no words. I don't know what I feel, I don't know... Whenever they think we're out, we find a way to come back. Whatever they put in front of us, we'll find a way. This is everything we dreamed of, that's why I came to New York," said Jalen Brunson, who was chosen best player of the finals.

Times Square celebrated the title with great joy. The city of New York set off fireworks, and some emblematic buildings in the city, such as the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center, were illuminated in orange and blue. The celebration, which caused riots, has spread through the streets of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.

The Knicks were playing in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Fans have waited 27 years for this. It's been the third final since they won their second ring in 1973. To reach the final, the Knicks became the fourth team in history to achieve 11 consecutive wins in the play-offs. The last to do so were the Golden State Warriors, who strung together 15 wins in 2017. Mike Brown, the great proponent of Catalan Jordi Fernández, did something only 15 coaches had achieved before, as he qualified his team for the NBA Finals in his first year on the franchise's bench. "The players we've managed to gather are great human beings and, obviously, fantastic basketball players," says the coach.

The last time the Knicks played in a final I was three years old," recalls Brunson, who received the distinction of best player of the Eastern Conference Finals from two franchise icons: Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing.

The New York Knicks' title in the NBA Finals transcends the world of sport. Spike Lee, their most famous fan, perfectly summarizes the city's reunion with a historic legacy. Donald Trump, who was booed, attended one of the games the Knicks played at Madison Square Garden, an unusual event. The President of the United States is a regular at major North American sporting events. From American football to baseball, through tennis and motorsports. But basketball was a taboo territory for him. Trump maintains a good friendship with James Dolan, the owner of the Knicks, a franchise he has publicly supported.

A three-decade nightmare

The Knicks' nightmare has lasted for almost three decades, fueling many conspiracy theories. Some fans believe that the New York arena, known as the Mecca of Basketball, is full of ghosts, of past glories that prevent current players from succeeding. For more than two decades, Knicks fans believed in a kind of paranormal curse caused by the management of their owner, James Dolan. Recurring injuries, wrong decisions by their leaders, and constant defeats led some fans to believe that Madison Square Garden was cursed.

Tickets to see the Knicks in the NBA finals have been the most expensive in history, as they could only be found for $3,500 on various resale portals. "It's an honor to experience this with the team I've cheered for since I was little. We had expectations and we knew this team was capable of achieving it. All we had to do was work, sacrifice, and believe in each other, which is what we've done," acknowledges Towns.