Who Won the 2026 NBA Finals? Knicks–Spurs Result
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win the 2026 NBA championship, with Jalen Brunson earning Finals MVP.
Timeline
- June 4, 2026: The Knicks won Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
- June 13, 2026: New York won Game 5, 94–90, and clinched the series 4–1.
- June 14, 2026: NBA coverage summarized the title and Finals MVP result.
The New York Knicks won the 2026 NBA championship by defeating the San Antonio Spurs four games to one. New York clinched the best-of-seven series with a 94–90 Game 5 victory in San Antonio on June 13, ending the franchise’s championship drought since 1973. [1][2]
Jalen Brunson scored 45 points in the closeout game and received the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. The NBA recap records both the decisive performance and the award, while the league’s Finals page preserves the full series sequence and each final score. [1][2]
New York won Games 1 and 2, San Antonio took Game 3, and the Knicks won Games 4 and 5. The series result should be written as 4–1; the 94–90 figure is the score of the clinching game, not an aggregate score across the Finals. [1]
The title was the Knicks’ third NBA championship after 1970 and 1973. NBA Communications described the 53-year gap as the longest between championships in league history at the time. Historical claims should use the league’s updated game notes rather than relying only on promotional summaries. [2]
The 2026 Finals belong to the 2025–26 NBA season. That naming convention explains why searches may use either the season span or the calendar year. Both refer to the same Knicks–Spurs championship series, provided the article identifies June 2026 and the 4–1 result. [1][2]
This result does not mean the Knicks won every playoff game or swept the Finals. The official notes record a 16–3 postseason and one Finals loss. Separating those facts prevents three different figures—the closeout score, series record and postseason record—from being confused. [1][2]
Brunson’s Finals MVP award is distinct from the regular-season Most Valuable Player award and the conference finals awards. Each recognizes a different competition window. The closeout recap ties Brunson’s Finals honor to this five-game championship series, which is the relevant answer when readers search for the 2026 Finals MVP. [1][2]