Knicks end 53-year title drought, parade set for Thursday as celebration turns chaotic
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 on Saturday to win their first NBA championship since 1973. A ticker-tape parade is scheduled for Thursday, while overnight celebrations turned violent with a teenager shot and buses set on fire near Madison Square Garden.
Victory after 53 years
The Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 on the road, clinching the series 4-1. It is the franchise's first NBA championship since 1973. Coach Mike Brown described the feeling as "absolutely amazing," adding, "I still don't believe it. I'm pinching myself." Fans poured into the streets of Manhattan, with chants of "Knicks in five" ringing out across the city.
Chaos near Madison Square Garden
As the night deepened, celebrations near MSG turned violent. A 17-year-old boy was shot in the foot, and four people were stabbed or slashed, according to police. Several school buses were set ablaze, with one fully engulfed by 3 a.m. Police reported 15 arrests and 48 summonses; ten officers were injured. Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the violence, saying, "The overwhelming majority celebrated appropriately. A few did not. We will not tolerate violence."
- Knicks defeat Spurs 94-90 in Game 5, securing their first championship since 1973.
- Gunshots heard near West 43rd Street; a 17-year-old shot in the foot.
- A school bus on West 42nd Street fully engulfed; four others damaged.
- Mayor Mamdani announces ticker-tape parade for Thursday, June 18 at 10 a.m.
Ticker-tape parade on Thursday
Mayor Mamdani announced a ticker-tape parade for Thursday, June 18, starting at 10 a.m. near Battery Park. The route runs north along Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes, ending at City Hall where the mayor will present keys to the city. "For more than 50 years, New Yorkers have waited for this moment," Mamdani said. "This city never stopped believing in the Knicks." The parade will be the Knicks' first ever ticker-tape celebration.
A-list fans and a presidential visit
Actor Timothée Chalamet, a courtside regular, told ESPN, "Way rather this than the Oscars! Come on, baby!" He later joined the locker room champagne celebration. President Donald Trump attended Game 3 at MSG, becoming the first sitting president to watch the NBA Finals in person. Other celebrities in the crowd included Spike Lee, Taylor Swift, and Ben Stiller.
Sports calendar collision
The Knicks' victory and parade bookend a busy sports week in New York. On the same Saturday, the New York New Jersey stadium hosted its first World Cup match, a 1-1 draw between Morocco and Brazil. And on Thursday, the U.S. Open golf tournament tees off in Southampton, prompting the Long Island Rail Road to build a temporary platform to handle crowds.
