New York defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals, ending the Knicks’ title drought that dated to 1973, according to the report.
The victory removes New York from the short list of American sports franchises whose championships had been absent for 50 years or more, the report said.
The report lists other long droughts around the major leagues. In the NBA, the Sacramento Kings are shown at 75 years, with a 1950-51 championship when the franchise played as the Rochester Royals and defeated the New York Knickerbockers. The Atlanta Hawks are listed at 68 years after their 1958 title; Bob Pettit scored 50 points and had 19 rebounds in the decisive game. The Utah Jazz are noted at 51 years after losing the 1997 and 1998 Finals to the Chicago Bulls. The Los Angeles Clippers are cited at 55 years, having never won a title or appeared in a Finals, with their deepest run a 2020-21 Western Conference finals loss to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are listed at 57 years since their 1968 inception, having reached the Finals in 1976, 1993 and 2021 and lost each series in six games.
The report also details lengthy droughts in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals are shown at 78 years, last winning in 1947 against the Philadelphia Eagles; that game featured quarterback Paul Christman going 3-for-14 for 54 yards with two interceptions and halfback Elmer Angsman rushing for 159 yards and two touchdowns. The Detroit Lions are listed at 68 years, last winning in 1957 with a 59-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns; quarterback Tobin Rote completed 12 of 19 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns and added one rushing score, while the Lions intercepted Cleveland five times with a defensive touchdown by Terry Barry.
The report also notes the Tennessee Titans at 64 years, tracing a 1961-62 American Football League title by the then-Houston Oilers (a 10-3 win highlighted by a 35-yard touchdown pass from George Blanda to Billy Cannon) and the Los Angeles Chargers at 62 years after a 1963 AFL championship in which the Chargers beat the Boston Patriots 51-10.
