New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby joined his teammates in drinking alcohol during the locker room celebration following a championship-clinching Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.
The victory secured the first NBA title for the franchise in 53 years.
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According to a report by Fred Katz of The Athletic, Anunoby routinely avoids alcohol but decided to sample tequila to mark the historic achievement.
Immediate Reaction to Tequila
The journalist detailed the forward's immediate physical reaction to the unfamiliar beverage during the post-game festivities.
"He grabbed the neck of it, lifted it to his mouth, tilted his head back and took a swig, as if he had discovered water after weeks stranded in the desert," Katz wrote.
"But this was not water, and his body reacted as such. He started to cough.
The tequila poured down his face. He screamed.
As he yelped from the burning in his chest, he laughed, uncontrollably."
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Anunoby subsequently attempted a second sip of the liquor, which caused him to bend over at the waist while clutching his stomach before the team erupted in laughter.
"One Mississippi. Two Mississi — and then the coughs came.
But these were not the sounds of someone choking. It was the shrill of a baby ostrich breaking a leg.
'AHHEAWWWW!! ,'" Katz relayed.
The championship celebration followed a strong postseason performance by Anunoby, who recorded an average of 21.2 points per game throughout the Finals series.
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His contributions were highlighted by a game-winning tip-in that secured a victory in Game 4, capping off a 29-point comeback that stands as the largest turnaround in NBA Finals history.
