The New York Knicks are looking to pen the final chapter in their exhilarating and inspiring season Saturday as they look to beat the San Antonio Spurs and win their first NBA Championship in more than 50 years.
The Spurs, playing in their home court, are looking to put those dreams off for another day and force a Game 6.
Both teams are coming off an edge-of-your-seat Game 4 at Madison Square Garden where the Knicks wowed a packed crowd by winning the game by one point in the final seconds.
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All eyes will be on the Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Spurs star Victor Wembanyama who have dominated the last four games and been key to their respective teams' victories throughout the playoffs.
The Knicks haven't won an NBA Championship since 1973. The last time they were in the Finals was in 1999 when they lost to the Spurs four games to one, with the final game taking place at the Garden.
Although the action will be unfolding in the Frost Bank Center, there will be plenty of energy in the Big Apple as thousands of New Yorkers are planning to gather at big and small parties throughout the five boroughs.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch have issued several warnings to fans as rowdy incidents, including fistfights, vandalism and other disorderly conduct, have played out on the streets of New York following the games.
Following Wednesday's game, 56 people were taken into custody in connection with such incidents, including 15 who were arrested, the NYPD said. Forty-one people were issued criminal court summonses, according to police.
Ten police officers were injured, including one who was allegedly struck in the face with a glass bottle, the NYPD said.
Some Knicks fans even showed up at the hotel where the Spurs were staying and threw eggs at Wembanyama, according to videos posted on social media. No charges or arrests have been made related to that incident.
On Friday, police said they were looking for a suspect in connection with an altercation two blocks away from the Garden where a 17-year-old boy was beaten into a coma.
