{"id":4460,"date":"2026-06-14T18:36:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T18:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/06\/14\/its-euphoria-new-york-city-celebrates-knicks-nba-title-win-after-53-year-wait\/"},"modified":"2026-06-14T18:36:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T18:36:00","slug":"its-euphoria-new-york-city-celebrates-knicks-nba-title-win-after-53-year-wait","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=4460","title":{"rendered":"\u2018It\u2019s euphoria\u2019: New York City celebrates Knicks\u2019 NBA title win after 53-year wait"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1vsw7yz\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"fe8a171f-9aae-4956-aa52-3dfc005b25e3\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div data-chromatic=\"ignore\">\n<div data-component=\"youtube-atom\" data-atom-id=\"f59e13ef-63fc-4821-b833-64d37d6e6fa6\" data-video-id=\"05wAK4GVtpI\" data-video-unique-id=\"05wAK4GVtpI-0\">\n<div data-testid=\"youtube-sticky-05wAK4GVtpI-0\" data-is-sticky=\"false\" class=\"dcr-0\">\n<div class=\"dcr-0\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1ykam5j\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"0\" data-format-design=\"10\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-1oldbbw\"><button data-testid=\"youtube-overlay-05wAK4GVtpI-0\" aria-label=\"Play video: New York erupts in celebration after Knicks win first NBA title in 53 years \u2013 video\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-rvfwnd\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"people cheer outside\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c71324628f5b9cbc80145e7aa742a90ebcb531c6\/0_0_8529_4796\/8529.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" height=\"259\" width=\"460\" class=\"dcr-1qi2at0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"play-icon dcr-hz5qc7\"><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1bnl3wx\"><span class=\"dcr-1i49ptb\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">New York erupts in celebration after Knicks win first NBA title in 53 years \u2013 video<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-shrpec\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1jwoxwb\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">\u2018It\u2019s euphoria\u2019: New York City celebrates Knicks\u2019 NBA title win after 53-year wait<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-m5tuef\">\n<div class=\"dcr-b3fmmo\">\n<p>Celebrations filled the streets, subways and bars as police reported some riots, damaged properties and violence<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-l3z1yk\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-6d4g12\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Marvita Davis, 70, was a teenager in Harlem the last time the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/new-york\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">New York<\/a> Knicks won a championship, in 1973.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"6c162110-c4b1-4da5-bdef-fb9878f840df\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-1 | 1\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1kyw41h\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-ma29me\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/gallery\/2026\/jun\/14\/new-york-knicks-nba-championship-celebrations-photos\" class=\"dcr-1m887w9\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-ut4tvs\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h5b6rb\">\n<div class=\"dcr-169d7yv\">Ecstasy and chaos grip New York City after Knicks win long-sought NBA title \u2013 in pictures<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-eurq8n\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fkf7vq\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI was like, Oh, I like this game. I can get into this game,\u201d recalled Davis, who went on to play basketball at Northeastern University.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">She maintained her love of hoops \u2013 even though she had knee and hip replacements and can no longer play \u2013 and her love of the Knicks, despite their more than a half-century of futility. \u201cI will support all my hometown teams, regardless of how bad they are,\u201d said Davis, a retired computer programmer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">On Saturday night, that longstanding fanhood paid off when the Knicks finally won an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/nba\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">NBA<\/a> title again by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Davis watched as the game was projected onto a screen on the front lawn of her apartment building with other residents in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. Others watched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/reel\/1497902584961882\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">from bars<\/a> in the East Village and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/theEvanLee\/status\/2066002432983715913\/video\/1\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">fire escapes<\/a> in the West Village and erupted as the clock hit zero.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIt\u2019s euphoria,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"f8bc9d8d-ec69-4730-95b7-8781bfe106b6\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"people sit and stand on buses\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/cf1ff58d086d68478b3cf792db242a763e1ecbd5\/0_0_4000_2667\/master\/4000.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.70374999999996\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"f8bc9d8d-ec69-4730-95b7-8781bfe106b6\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Knicks fans cheer after the team won the championship against the San Antonio Spurs in New York on Saturday.<\/span> Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal\/The Guardian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">That was the feeling throughout all five boroughs. Car horns, fireworks, \u201cLet\u2019s go Knicks\u201d chants and Jay-Z\u2019s Empire State Of Mind and Frank Sinatra\u2019s Theme From New York, New York filled the streets, subways and bars until well after midnight. (Some shouted <a data-link-name=\"in body link\">an expletive<\/a> directed at Spurs star Victor Wembanyama too.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe city is alive, man, like never before,\u201d said Nick Pineda, a 47-year Bronx resident who works in information technology and watched the game at Habana Outpost, a Brooklyn restaurant that also projected the game outdoors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Firefighters drove through the city holding a Knicks blanket. Even bus drivers got some love from residents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cB-52! B-52! B-52!\u201d fans who filled sidewalks in Brooklyn chanted as a bus rolled past.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"16e1b27e-6a0e-4652-a629-673799715365\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a person holds a cardboard likeness of a basketball player\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/29a11e1dba9bc3e45b7e250b2661bccd910d37e6\/0_0_4000_2667\/master\/4000.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.70374999999996\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"16e1b27e-6a0e-4652-a629-673799715365\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">A Knicks fan celebrates with a cardboard likeness of Jalen Brunson after the team won the championship against the Spurs in New York on Saturday.<\/span> Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal\/The Guardian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Predictably, as after many championships \u2013 even ones less than a half-century in the making \u2013 some fans turned the occasion into an opportunity to riot, destroy property and commit violence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the Knicks\u2019 home, Madison Square Garden, according to a New York police department estimate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Whereas many in the city were chanting \u201cGo Knicks,\u201d police in riot gear tried to clear the area outside Madison Square Garden, yelling, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Breaking911\/status\/2066002405070692650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2066002405070692650%7Ctwgr%5E9aa6703b1f9efc88551f71e92018b8e48594fd9e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fbasketball%2F2026%2F06%2F14%2Fprince-harry-watches-nba-finals-as-new-york-descends-chaos%2F\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Move Back<\/a>. Move back. Move back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">There was a shooting and four slashings or stabbings amid fights in the city, the police reported. Five school buses were destroyed \u2013 including by lighting them <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yURVVil12uk\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">on fire<\/a>. The vehicles were slated to transport fans from the city to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for World Cup games, a police spokesperson stated. People also badly damaged five <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/nba\/comments\/1u5ciqx\/nypd_car_windshield_smashed_up_as_crowds_jump_on\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">police cars<\/a>, including by smashing them with baseball bats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Police arrested 63 people connected to the game. Ten police officers suffered injuries, including ones who were punched in the face and struck with a glass bottle.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"1d032db3-bdc3-4da5-90bc-3a2bb00b4952\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"img-3\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"NYPD riot squads and mounted horse units deployed across streets to disperse the New York Knicks fans who flooded the streets, caused chaos after the Knicks\u2019 victory Saturday night.\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/ef3a74c0c1ad31dc137e77b30dcd8feff96c3ba5\/0_0_3638_2348\/master\/3638.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"287.20725673446947\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><a href=\"#img-3\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"1d032db3-bdc3-4da5-90bc-3a2bb00b4952\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">NYPD riot squads and mounted horse units deployed across streets to disperse the New York Knicks fans who flooded the streets, caused chaos after the Knicks\u2019 victory Saturday night.<\/span> Photograph: Anadolu\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But the mayhem was no match for the fervor. Brooklyn native Rashid Taylor, 51, said Jalen Brunson was the driver that guided them to the victory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThey got the champion, fearless leader just taking them through all the fire,\u201d Taylor said of Brunson, who scored 45 points in the Game 5 win. \u201cThis team is just heart and soul and passion and not backing down.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">And it was not only lifelong Knicks fans who were thrilled to see them win. Jeremy Friedman grew up in St Louis and a decade ago moved to Chicago, where Brunson played in high school and has plenty of fans, including Friedman\u2019s friends. Friedman became one too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Friedman, a headhunter, wore former Knicks star Jeremy Lin\u2019s jersey and celebrated with friends on a sidewalk in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe Knicks \u2013 53 years!\u201d Friedman said. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing time to be part of this city.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">There is only more celebration ahead. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a ticker tape parade on 18 June, and said city hall will present the team the keys to the city \u2013 a symbolic gesture to recognize New York\u2019s notable citizens.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cFor more than 50 years, New Yorkers have waited for this moment,\u201d Mamdani said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyc.gov\/mayors-office\/news\/2026\/06\/mayor-mamdani-announces-ticker-tape-parade-and-city-hall-ceremon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">statement<\/a>. \u201cThrough near misses, heartbreak and a hope that every year could be our year, this city never stopped believing in the Knicks. And this team fulfilled that hope with grit, resilience and heart \u2013 just like the five boroughs itself.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1xavc9x\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/new-york\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">New York<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/sport\/nba-finals\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">NBA finals<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/sport\/basketball\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Basketball<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/sport\/us-sport\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">US sports<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/sport\/nba\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">NBA<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/tone\/features\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">features<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=%E2%80%98It%E2%80%99s%20euphoria%E2%80%99:%20New%20York%20City%20celebrates%20Knicks%E2%80%99%20NBA%20title%20win%20after%2053-year%20wait&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/14\/new-york-city-knicks-nba-championship?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fjun%2F14%2Fnew-york-city-knicks-nba-championship&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/jun\/14\/new-york-city-knicks-nba-championship\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1el9k3p\"><span class=\"dcr-1vetsv0\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New York erupts in celebration after Knicks win first NBA title in 53 years \u2013 video \u2018It\u2019s euphoria\u2019:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":4462,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4460\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}