It was bad enough watching the Celtics blow a 3-1 lead to the 76ers and bow out of the playoffs in pathetic fashion. But that pain has only been amplified by watching the Knicks absolutely cruise to the NBA Finals, completely dominating the Eastern Conference with back-to-back sweeps of the Sixers and Cavaliers.
As much as this Knicks team and organization have felt like a little brother and proverbial whipping boy for years, it’s time to admit that things have flipped. It started last year when New York stunned Boston in round two of the playoffs, ending the bid to repeat as champions.
But it was easy to excuse that away after the Knicks reverted to their usual ways and choked in the conference finals against the Pacers. After the Celtics and Pacers were each inflicted with a terrible injury, it seemed like this would finally be the year, but things didn’t come together at all early on.
They stumbled out of the gates and went into a rut after winning the NBA Cup. There were trade rumors and speculation about unhappiness inside the locker room. But things came together around the All-Star break, they crushed the final few months of the regular season, and now, they look like a bona fide juggernaut in the playoffs.
Knicks historically dominated the Eastern Conference Playoffs
They’ve ripped off 11 straight wins, and they possess a +19.4 average point differential, which is the largest by a team entering the Finals in NBA history. They also became the first team in NBA history to have three closeout wins by 20 points or more, winning them by 30, 37, and 51 points.
The Knicks have completely hit their stride, and everything is finally clicking for them at the exact right time. It would have sounded crazy to say a few weeks ago, but the Knicks are completely live to win it all, and if they play as they have been, they’ll have a legitimate chance to beat either the Thunder or Spurs.
It’s particularly concerning for the Celts because their grip on the conference that they’ve held for most of the decade feels gone. The Knicks are a clear notch above them; they match up extremely well with Boston, and perhaps scariest of all, this run isn’t going to end any time soon.
Knicks roster is built to last
The entire starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart is locked up for next season, and the team controls all but KAT for 2027-28 (he has a player option). Deuce McBride is also under contract next season, Jose Alvarado has a player option, but from the rotation, only Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson are free agents.
There’s a chance that one or both of them become cap casualties, but for the most part, this team is coming back, probably for many years. And with an owner who’s willing to spend and plenty of reasonable contracts, the Knicks are going to be able to fire some more bullets as well.
Just a few short years ago, the Knicks were making moves to try to compete with the Celtics. My, how the tables have turned. Here we are in 2026, and it feels like the Celtics are going to have to pull some strings to compete with the mighty Knicks.
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