Forward Anunoby rattled in five three-pointers and point guard Jalen Brunson finished with 25 points as New York clinched their first silverware since the 1973 NBA Finals at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
San Antonio went into the final brimming with confidence after upsetting top seeds and reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City in Saturday’s semi-finals following a superb display from French prodigy Victor Wembanyama.
But a dogged all round performance from New York thwarted San Antonio’s hopes of crowning their cup campaign with victory.
The Knicks limited Wembanyama to 18 points while delivering a balanced offensive performance to pull clear in the fourth quarter after trailing by 11 points late in the third.
Seven Knicks players finished in double figures, with Anunoby and Brunson backed by Karl-Anthony Towns (16 points), Jordan Clarkson (15), Tyler Kolek (14) and 11 points apiece from Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges.
Mitchell Robertson provided a valuable defensive cameo from the bench, hauling in 15 rebounds with two blocks.
“Without them we don’t win this,” said Brunson after being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“We got down 10 or whatever it was and we found a way to win – that’s going to be our motto going forward: we’re going to find a way.”
San Antonio had looked to be motoring towards victory when Wembanyama knocked down a 27-foot three-pointer with just over two minutes left in the third period to put the Spurs up 92-81.
But Clarkson and Kolek drained three-pointers to trim the Spurs lead to five points and the Knicks then cut loose in the fourth quarter, outscoring their opponents 35-19 to seal the win.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown said winning the title augured well for the team’s hopes of mounting a championship run at the NBA Finals in his first season in charge.
“Any time you can participate in an event where you’re the last one standing and you’re able to hang up a banner, especially at iconic MSG (Madison Square Garden), you take that seriously,” Brown said during his on-court interview.
“And all of our guys took it seriously.”
San Antonio’s scoring was led by Dylan Harper with 21 off the bench, while De’Aaron Fox was the pick of the starters with 16 points. (AFP)