The New York Knicks keep finding ways to surprise people — and they’re doing it in the loudest way possible. Once again on the road, once again in front of an arena emptying before the final buzzer. At Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Mike Brown’s team dominated from start to finish, rolling past the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 and closing out the series with a commanding 4-0 sweep.
For New York, it’s a historic milestone: the franchise hadn’t reached the NBA Finals since 1999. The Knicks now wait to see who emerges from the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurscurrently tied at 2-2.
A team winning through collective strength
The Game 4 victory didn’t require the best version of Jalen Brunsonwho finished with 15 points and five assists in just 31 minutes. Still, the Knicks’ leader was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
The trust this organization has put in me has been incredible. It’s something I never take for granted. Being here, in this city and with these teammates, is an honor. I know they’ll always have my back
Jalen Brunson
Alongside Brunson once again were Mikal Bridges and Josh Hartlongtime friends and former teammates dating back to their Villanova days. Hart highlighted one of the biggest reasons this team has become so special.
I don’t think there was some switch that suddenly flipped. The habits we’ve been building just started showing up. This is an extremely selfless group willing to sacrifice personal stats and individual recognition for the good of the team
Josh Hart
A streak entering NBA history
As remarkable as the Finals appearance already is, the numbers tell an even bigger story.
The Knicks are in the middle of an 11-game winning streakand during that stretch they’ve outscored opponents by a combined +262 point differential. No team in NBA history – regular season or playoffs – had ever posted a better differential across an 11-game span.
That surpasses even the legendary 2017 Golden State Warriors led by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, as well as the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
During this run, New York has been winning by an average of nearly 24 points per game. Those are numbers of a true powerhouse.
Towns dominates and already looks ahead
Among the stars of the night was also Karl-Anthony Townswho delivered 19 points and 14 rebounds against the frontcourt duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. For the Knicks big man, this marks the first Finals appearance of his career after several seasons as a franchise cornerstone.
Towns allowed himself a moment to enjoy the achievement, while keeping the bigger goal in focus.
It feels like something magical, something historic. New York has been waiting for this moment for a long time. The fans, our families and all of us have earned the right to enjoy this joy
Karl-Anthony Towns
Then came the message that echoed a famous quote from Kobe Bryant in 2009:
But for us as players, the job isn’t finished yet
Karl-Anthony Towns
The Shamet factor and the turning point of the season
Mike Brown identified one specific turning point in the team’s rise: Landry Shamet returning to the rotation. From that moment, the Knicks shifted gears, finishing the regular season strong and carrying that confidence into the playoffs.
Shamet is probably enjoying the best three-point shooting stretch of his career. During the winning streak, he’s shooting 64% from beyond the arc, a number that has climbed to an absurd 92% during the Conference Finals. In Game 4, he went a perfect 4-for-4.
It’s an amazing feeling. I’ll enjoy it for an hour and over the next few days, then we’ll get back to work
Landry Shamet
New York dreams of its first title since 1973
The excitement is becoming impossible to contain in the Big Apple. During the final minutes of the game, celebrities, executives and notable fans gathered courtside.
After more than half a century since their last championship and 26 years since their last Finals appearance, the Knicks are back. This time, though, they don’t seem interested in simply making it to the big stage.
And considering how they’ve played over the last few weeks, nobody in New York has any intention of stopping the dream.
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