Gunshots rang out and vehicles were set alight in central New York on Saturday night as jubilant Knicks fans poured into the streets to celebrate the team’s first NBA championship in more than half a century.
A 17-year-old was shot in the foot in Times Square. Five school buses were burned. More than 60 people were arrested, multiple NYPD officers were assaulted, and a firearm was recovered, police said.
“Knicks win first NBA title since 1973; celebrations turn violent with gunshots, fires, and over 60 arrests.”
The mayhem unfolded hours after the New York Knicks clinched the title against the San Antonio Spurs, 94-90, in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series at the Frost Center in Texas. It was the franchise’s first championship since 1973.
“I’ve been waiting for this, honestly most of my life,” said Elizabeth Madigan, who flew from New York to San Antonio for the game. “The last time the Knicks won, I was six months old, and so I can’t begin to describe how excited I am.”
Fans back in New York packed sports bars and took over blocks near Times Square. “This city is electric,” said Jake Minicucci. “I’ve never gotten so many head nods, everybody knowing we are in it for the Knicks together.”
Among the celebrities in the stands at the Frost Center were Ben Stiller, Timothée Chalamet, Taylor Swift and ASAP Rocky. “Way rather this than the Oscars,” Chalamet said of the victory. Jennifer Lopez, watching from home, posted a clip of herself cheering and said: “I remember the last time the Knicks were making a run … We have all been waiting patiently for this day for years.”
Prince Harry also made an appearance at the game, according to Sky News. US President Donald Trump congratulated the team and owner Jim Dolan, calling the playoff wins “maybe the greatest in the history of basketball.”
But the celebration turned violent as thousands of World Cup fans also took to the streets after the Morocco-Brazil match at New York-New Jersey Stadium. Spectators saw burning vehicles and heard gunshots around 42nd Street and Broadway. Fans clashed with police, smashed windshields and mounted light poles.
“I definitely had my doubts. But we did pull it off. Knicks forever,” Madigan said. For 24-year-old Daniel Brown, the night had the potential “to be one of the best nights in the history of this city.” Yet for at least one teenager, it ended with a bullet wound and a city counting the cost of its long-awaited triumph.