[Basketball. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

On May 25th, 2026, the New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 130–93 to complete a sweep of the Eastern Conference Finals and secure their first trip to the NBA Finals in 27 years. 

The Knicks’ playoff performance has been exceptional, with the 130 points to 93 points win being their 11th consecutive win in the playoffs.

Entering the Eastern Conference playoffs as the third seed meant facing strong opponents such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Their initial hurdle came against the sixth-seeded Atlanta Hawks, where the Knicks were falling behind 1 game to 2 games.

Despite this early setback, the Knicks were able to win the series 4 games to 2, where they won by 51 points in the last game.

Following this, the Knicks were able to sweep both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers without losing a single game in either series.  

The Knicks especially shone against the Philadelphia 76ers, where they won by a high amount of points and finished the series 4 games to 0.

Across the four games, the Knicks won by 39, 6, 14, and 30 points.

In the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland, the Knicks swept the series, clinching the first spot in the NBA Finals.

Out of all the players during the Conference Finals series, Jalen Brunson was named the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Conference Finals after averaging 25.5 points and 7.8 assists per game against Cleveland while shooting 48.7% from the field across the series.

Brunson's standout performance was in Game 1, where he scored 38 points, leading the Knicks to erase a 22-point deficit during the fourth quarter.

Brunson has been gaining recognition not only for his incredible performances and for being the team’s clear leader but also because of his height.

Now in the NBA Finals, Brunson could become just the third player under 6' 2'',  after Isiah Thomas and Stephen Curry, to lead a championship-contending team.

Contrary to the praise he receives now, when the Knicks signed him from Dallas in 2022, his arrival in New York was met with skepticism, as many believed he would not be the cornerstone of the Knicks franchise.

Four years later, he has emerged as the Knicks’ leader and franchise player, the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, and is just four wins away from securing an NBA championship.

Alongside Jalen Brunson, another player who has shone throughout the Knicks’ playoff run is Karl Anthony Towns.

Widely known as “KAT” by fans and teammates, Towns had an impressive performance, scoring 19 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in the game that led the Knicks to their first NBA Finals in almost three decades.  

To further highlight that game, the Knicks made history by scoring the most points in an NBA Playoff game without any player scoring 20 or more points.

That game showcased the Knicks’ team-oriented approach this season.

Unlike most teams that mainly rely on one or two players to score most of their points, the Knicks distributed the attacking production across the roster rather than relying on one player to score.

Another noteworthy feature of this team is its roster depth.

None of the Knicks’ top players, except Mitchell Robinson, were drafted by the team.  

Despite being one of the only players drafted by the organization, Robinson has been playing with a broken pinkie and has promised to play at the finals, highlighting the kind of culture the team built this season.

 The Knicks also made a significant change off the court. They replaced their previous coach, Tom Thibodeau, who led the team to two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, with Mike Brown.

Though the decision was initially met by criticism, the Knicks’ results silenced the critics.

Moreover, former coach Jeff Van Gundy praised the team, stating that there has “never been a Knicks team this dominant.”

Adding to the accolades, Knicks legends like Patrick Ewing and Bernard King also complimented the team, where they both expressed how they felt personally invested in what the team is building.

The Knicks will now compete in the NBA finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the winner of the Western Conference Finals, on June 3rd.