Getty
NBA World Reacts to Jalen Brunson's Gritty Game 5 Performance
The New York Knicks had a remarkable past 10 weeks, capped off by an NBA championship, the city’s first since 1973. Just like any other championship team, the Knicks’ run needed sacrifice and trust.
However, the Knicks may have taken it a step further.
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, Knicks owner James Dolan asked the players to take their sacrifice an extra notch during the NBA playoffs by avoiding sex while they are chasing the NBA title.
Begley noted that it was a quip by the owner.
“He talked to the players about the opportunity ahead of them, the importance of sacrificing for the next 10 weeks. (He jokingly asked the players to avoid fornication during the postseason.),” Begley’s report reads.
NYK’s playoff run began with Mike Brown meeting with Knick starters to clear the air, James Dolan asking for 10 weeks of sacrifice (and no fornication?) and ended Saturday in San Antonio. Story on 2026 Knicks cementing themselves as a forever team in NY:
Whether the players followed the order, the Knicks’ playoff record showed a successful run that is on par with other great title teams in the league.
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – JUNE 13: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks lifts the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
The Knicks, led by Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns, finished the playoffs with a 16-3 record, a run that included 13 straight wins for the team.
After going down 2-1 in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks went on a roll, recovering from the series deficit, before sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round and the conference finals, respectively.
The Knicks won the first two games of the NBA Finals before falling in Game 3 in New York. Game 4 may have been the most memorable in the series as it saw the Knicks come back from a 29-point deficit via a game-winning tip-in from OG Anunoby to snag the victory from the Spurs.
Now, the Knicks are the NBA champions for the first time in 53 years, avenging their loss against the Spurs in 1999, the last season they played in the NBA Finals before this year.
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – JUNE 13: New York Knicks owner James Dolan and president Leon Rose lift the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after their team defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Knicks owner James Dolan gave a powerful message to the team’s fans, acknowledging the team’s long title drought, while rejoicing in the championship they earned this season.
“I want to say something to New York,” Dolan said during the NBA championship celebration. “Hey New York, I’m sorry it took so long. But here we are.”
Dolan hopes it would not take more than five decades again to reach the pinnacle of the NBA.
“And hopefully it won’t take that long again,” he added.
Dolan added in the press conference that the Knicks deserved to celebrate the championship, while calling for everyone’s safety while doing so.
“We need to tell everybody in New York: we know that they are celebrating. We want them to have a great time,” he said. “Please be safe, right. Don’t get hurt. Don’t hurt anybody. We’re going to have a parade on Thursday.”
The Knicks’ championship parade will be on Thursday in the city. Millions of people are expected to be in the city to watch the Larry O’Brien trophy dock again in New York.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。
