With a 94-90 win in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the New York Knicks put an end to 53 years of waiting, lifting the NBA trophy for the first time since 1973. While noteworthy in every right, for Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, this victory was far more meaningful.
Patrick Ewing was famously part of the Knicks’ team that came close to winning the title in 1999. Unfortunately, their hopes were crushed by the San Antonio Spurs, then led by David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
The 2026 NBA Finals were effectively a rematch for New York, and with this win, players like Ewing finally got their revenge 27 years later. The Knicks’ legend shared an emotional comment about this after the win, stating:
“Yeah, it’s been a long time coming. The last time we were here in ’99, I had tears of sorrow. Today, I have tears of joy. It’s a dream come true. We’ve had this goal. Myself, as a player and as part of the organization, we’ve had the dream of getting to this point and winning the championship, and we’ve finally achieved it.”
“The last time we were here, Tim and David were having a party against us,” Ewing continued. “But tonight is ours.”
Patrick Ewing’s feelings are understandable. In the 1999 NBA Finals, the Spurs dominated against the Knicks, beating them 4-1. Tim Duncan and David Robinson led the charge in the series, posting combined averages of 44.0 points, 25.8 rebounds, 5.2 blocks, and 2.0 steals per game. Needless to say, New York struggled to come up with an answer for this lineup.
A major reason for their loss was Patrick Ewing’s absence in the NBA Finals. After hurting his Achilles in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, New York went into the series undermanned.
Although he was past his best, the big man averaged 17.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.5% from the field that season. Considering that the Knicks were forced to deploy a frontcourt man rotation of Chris Dudley (1.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG), Marcus Camby (9.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG), and Kurt Thomas (5.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG) in the NBA Finals, they were also severely outmatched.
In many ways, Patrick Ewing’s frustration with not winning a title is even more justified. Having been so close but not having an opportunity to compete due to an injury may have been truly disheartening. Regardless, with the Knicks sealing the victory in Game 5, practically mirroring the result of the 1999 NBA Finals, Ewing must feel an immense sense of pride.
The Knicks’ postseason run seems to have been cathartic for many former Knicks players. While players such as Walt Frazier were fortunate enough to lift the trophy as players, others, such as Ewing, Latrell Sprewell, and Carmelo Anthony, did not experience this.
Given their deep connection to the Knicks’ organization, seeing the team win in such overwhelming fashion was promising. With New York back on top, many years of frustration and agony also seem to have been put to rest.
