Knicks let loose in championship festivities after months of hypnotic focus and resiliency
The 53-year wait was over.But there was still a bit of business to attend to before Jalen Brunson could begin to celebrate.It was fitting.
He finished the job the same way he conducted himself throughout the whole process.With class.With humility.
With champion identity.Immediately after the final buzzer of the Knicks’ 94-90 Game 5 win over the Spurs on Saturday night at the Frost Bank Center, which secured their first championship since 1973, Brunson — as euphoria erupted around him — made his way from the bench over to Spurs coach Mitch Johnson to shake hands and exchange a few words.Brunson had not yet smiled or exhaled.
Sportsmanship came first.It wasn’t until Brunson’s dad, Rick, grabbed him by the shoulder that the weight of the moment hit him.That he fully grasped what he and the Knicks had just done.“I turned around and my dad was there, and I felt emotional from that point on,” Brunson said.
“Then I just remember Josh [Hart] talking into my ear, and him just saying, like, ‘We did it! We did it!’ And then I was emotional for a good, like, five, 10 minutes, and then the excitement started to kick in.”That’s when the party truly kicked off.It wouldn’t be long until the BAC levels rose.Until Ariel Hukporti made himself the MVP of the festivities.
Until Jeremy Sochan’s shirt came off and stayed off.Until coach Mike Brown was barking, “Who let the dogs out?!”By the time media got into the Knicks locker room, it immediately brought back memories of the mornings after frat parties in college — the wet and sticky floors, the empty bottles (Michelob Ultra beers, Moët & Chandon champagne and Patrón tequila were the main choices) and wafts of cigar smoke.
Everyone was scattered around the bowels of the arena — between the locker room, the court, the interview rooms and the hallways in between.The players and coaches with kids held them in their arms.
The ones who didn’t held their drinks.Ben Stiller held something dif...