SAN ANTONIO — All these years later, Patrick Ewing was able to celebrate a Knicks championship.
A basketball ambassador for the franchise, Ewing was courtside as Jalen Brunson erupted for 45 points to lead the Knicks to their first title in 53 years with a 94-90 victory in Game 5 over the Spurs at Frost Bank Center on Saturday night.
“Fourth time is the charm,” a grinning Ewing said. “’99, I did the same thing I did tonight, just sit and watch and cheer. I take my hat (off) to the team, take my hat off to Jalen. He did an outstanding job with putting us on his back and being able to bring a championship back to New York.”
Twice, Ewing reached the finals with the Knicks, but both times he came up short, in 1994 against the Rockets and 1999 against the Spurs. Ewing was unable to play in the latter series due to injury. He also reached the finals with the Magic in 2009 as an assistant coach. They lost to the Lakers that season.
Saturday night, he saw his old team win it all after over five decades without a crown.
“It means everything to the city,” he said. “It was a magical run, all the things they were able to accomplish.”
As Ewing was wrapping up an interview, a beaming Karl-Anthony Towns came over and yelled out to Ewing.
“This is for you, Pat,” Towns told him.
Ewing responded: “This guy right here, this is my guy, right here.”