The last time the Knicks hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy as NBA champions, Willis Reed, Walt Frazier and Bill Bradley were the heroes of 1973. In the five decades that followed, New York lived through Patrick Ewing's heartbreak in 1994, the unlikely 1999 Finals run that ended against San Antonio, and a long wait that tested even the most loyal fans at Madison Square Garden.
That wait is over, and the way it ended was worth every minute.
Jalen Brunson and the Knicks tore through the 2026 playoffs like no team in recent memory, rallying from a 2-1 deficit against the Hawks in the first round before sweeping the 76ers in a series so lopsided Philly's own arena sounded like an extension of MSG. They rolled past the Cavaliers in four straight to reach the Finals for the first time since 1999. Then came San Antonio and Victor Wembanyama.
It looked over in Game 4. The Spurs led by 29, dropped 76 points in the first half, and had the Garden as quiet as it ever gets. What happened next will be told in New York for the next fifty years. The Knicks held San Antonio to 30 points in the entire second half, Brunson went bucket for bucket down the stretch, and with 1.2 seconds left OG Anunoby soared in to tip home Brunson's miss for a 107-106 win. The largest comeback in NBA Finals history. The Garden shook so hard the upper deck felt it.
From there, Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart finished the job and ended a 53-year championship drought.
Garden Glory: The New York Knicks and the NBA Championship Five Decades in the Making is a 160-page hardcover collector's book covering every moment of this season, from the 53-win regular season that announced these Knicks were built different, through the playoff run, all the way to the title. You'll find the photos, the stories and the behind-the-scenes moments that bring a championship back to life.
Published by USA TODAY Sports, this coffee-table book is printed on premium matte stock and made to sit on your shelf for years to come.
New York waited five decades for this, so don't wait to get yours. Grab your copy of this collector's edition today.
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