Knicks 11th straight postseason win secures sweep over Cavaliers, Jalen Brunson named Eastern Conference Finals MVP on Monday.
When an unprecedented stretch of dominance turns into an unforgettable Playoff run.
For the first time since 1999, the New York Knicks are headed to the NBA Finals.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Finals-Bound: Knicks storm past Cavs for 11th straight win and East Finals sweep
The Climb: How New York turned Playoff pain into a record run and NBA Finals breakthrough
Spurs at Thunder: Tied 2-2, four epic duels have set up tonight’s pivotal Game 5 in the West Finals
Pop’s Message: Gregg Popovich spoke up after Game 3. The Spurs listened
OKC’s Answer: Thunder head home looking to restore spark from supporting cast
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Game 5 of the West Finals tips off tonight as Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs visit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder, with the series tied 2-2 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock | Tap to Watch).
The NBA Finals tip off June 3 at 8:30 ET on ABC, with New York traveling to the winner of Spurs-Thunder. The series moves to NYC for Game 3 on June 8 (8:30 ET, ABC).
1. KNICKS STORM INTO NBA FINALS AMID HISTORIC STREAK
A 27-year wait for New York ended with a 37-point win – stamping an all-time tear through the East Playoffs.
Knicks 130, Cavaliers 93: Entering the night on a 10-game win streak with a 3-0 series lead, the Knicks never let their foot off the gas. New York erupted for 38 points in the 1st quarter en route to another emphatic win, completing an East Finals sweep and punching its ticket to the NBA Finals. | Recap
Cavs Open: With their backs against the wall, Donovan Mitchell (31 pts, 5 3s) helped Cleveland jump out to a 17-14 lead in the first six minutes
Knicks Answer: It was all New York from there, as the Knicks finished the quarter on a 24-9 surge to go up 12
Then, The Avalanche: The closing burst snowballed into a 20-0 run across the 1st and 2nd quarters, as the Knicks suddenly flipped an early deficit into a 29-point lead within minutes
They Never Looked Back: Karl-Anthony Towns (19 pts, 14 reb, 2 blk), OG Anunoby (17 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast) and Landry Shamet (16 pts, 4-4 3P) led six double-digit scorers as New York stretched the lead to as many as 45
Full Circle MVP: Jalen Brunson added 15 points and 5 dimes, averaging 25.5 pts and 7.8 ast in the series to earn the East Finals MVP while leading New York to its first Finals trip since 1999, when his father (now a Knicks assistant coach) was on the team
“It means a lot,” said Brunson on the symmetry. “But I wouldn’t be here without my teammates … without them, none of this is possible.”
That collective mindset has fueled one of the most dominant Playoff runs ever.
Not just in Knicks history. In NBA history.
Unmatched: Through 14 Playoff games, the Knicks own a staggering +271 point differential (+19.4 ppg) – the highest ever by a team entering the NBA Finals
The Previous Largest? The Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson-led Warriors in 2016-17, who boasted a +196 point differential across 12 games (+16.3 ppg)
That includes 11 straight wins for New York since falling behind 2-1 to Atlanta in the First Round, as the Knicks have transformed into a two-way postseason buzzsaw.
Special Scoring: The Knicks are averaging 122.9 ppg amid their 11-0 run – the highest-scoring 11-game stretch in a single postseason since the 1985 “Showtime” Lakers
Special Separation: In that same span, New York has allowed just 99.1 ppg, resulting in 10 double-digit wins amid the 11-0 streak
Special Streak: Only four other teams have tallied an 11+ game win streak in a single postseason: the 2016-17 Warriors (won title), the 1998-99 Spurs (won title), the 2000-01 Lakers (won title) and the 1988-89 Lakers (reached NBA Finals) ⬇️
Perhaps even more impressive? In series close-out wins, the Knicks have been even more dominant.
Finishing Power: New York’s three series-clinching wins by 30+ points are the most in a single Playoff run: a 51-point win over Atlanta, a 30-point dub over Philly and last night’s 37-point victory over Cleveland
Statement Sweeps: That’s an average point differential of +39.3 – capped by a pair of sweeps in the latter two rounds
Now, after nearly three decades of waiting, the Knicks aren’t just Finals-bound – they’re rewriting what New York basketball feels like.
“I feel like the word ‘hope’ has been gone from the New York Knicks’ name for a long time,” said Towns – a New Jersey native – after Monday’s win.
“To be part of this team that revives the word ‘hope’ in the city, it’s something special – it’s something really, really special.”
2. ROAD TO THE FINALS: NEW YORK’S STEADY CLIMB
The Knicks are soaring into the NBA Finals on a historic heater, but this breakthrough wasn’t built overnight.
It was years in the making. A steady climb built on postseason scars, roster evolution and a belief that each step forward would eventually lead New York back to the ultimate stage.
And like any climb, it started from the ground up.
The Foundation: From 2009-10 to 2021-22, the Knicks started 21 different guards on Opening Night. Across those 13 seasons, no guard started in more than three season-openers.
Then came Jalen Brunson.
Since arriving in New York ahead of 2022-23, Brunson hasn’t just provided stability, but upward mobility, transforming the Knicks from a Playoff hopeful into an East power.
First Step: Brunson’s first season with the Knicks sparked immediate progress: a 10-win improvement from the year prior and the franchise’s first Playoff series win in a decade
Second Step: The Knicks hit 50 wins in ‘23-24, with Brunson earning his first All-Star nod, while leading New York back to the East Semifinals – though its season ended there again, falling to the rival Pacers in seven games
The loss left New York wanting more.
The Knicks added Mikal Bridges in the offseason. Then, just weeks before the 2024-25 season began, they swung another blockbuster move – sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Towns.
Another Leap: With new stars alongside Brunson, the Knicks climbed even higher, winning 51 games and reaching their first East Finals since 2000
Another Scar: But heartbreak struck again, as New York lost to Indy once more – this time in a thrilling six-game East Finals, with the NBA Finals just two wins away
Years of climbing had brought the Knicks closer and closer to the top – but each season still ended looking up.
Yet New York stayed the course, bringing back its core for ‘25-26 while adding a new voice – coach Mike Brown – to deliver the final push.
Brown’s Boost: A 2x Coach of the Year, Brown embraced the expectations, arriving with a fresh offensive vision, a team-first mentality and an emphasis on digging deep in the biggest moments
“Our goal is to build a sustainable winning culture that produces championships,” Brown said during his introductory press conference. “That’s why I’m here.”
Brown’s Delivery: It all came together at the perfect time, as New York’s complete team buy-in fueled the franchise’s long-awaited breakthrough
“We’re very well-coached and very well-prepared,” said OG Anunoby postgame. “And it’s showing on the court … we play for each other.”
Now, after years of climbing, the Knicks have found the collective identity needed to reach basketball’s biggest stage.
A foundation of stability. A culture of sacrifice. And a team willing to lift each other higher.
“It’s the players,” said Brown of what makes this team special. “Every single one of the guys has sacrificed. Every single one of the guys has a competitive spirit…
“Every single one of the guys is connected. Every single one of the guys believe in each other … It’s just a heck of a group.”
3. SPURS AT THUNDER, GAME 5: WHAT TO KNOW FOR TONIGHT
They split two games in Oklahoma City.
They split two games in San Antonio.
Now, a West Finals that’s already seen just about everything – from a double-OT thriller to superstar takeovers, answers, counters and clutch-time moments – is a best-of-three series.
“It’s 0-0,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after Game 4. “First team to two wins.”
Tonight (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock), SGA’s Thunder host Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs with the series tied 2-2.
It’s the first time we’ve seen the West Finals even through four games since 2018, and the stakes for tonight’s showdown are massive.
The History: When tied 2-2 in a best-of-seven series, the winner of Game 5 has won the series 81.8% of the time (198-44)
On This Stage: That includes a 42-13 (76.4%) mark in the Conference Finals
How We Got Here: The Spurs and Thunder first met this season in December in the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals – both two wins shy of hardware.
Six months later, they both stand two wins shy of the NBA Finals.
In between, the matchup has evolved into a season-defining rivalry. The teams battled for the West’s No. 1 seed, SGA and Wemby dueled in the Kia MVP race and every meeting added another layer of intensity.
That’s only escalated four games into the West Finals.
Game 1 delivered an instant classic in double-OT, where Wemby took over in crunch time to secure a Spurs win in the longest West Finals game since 1976
Game 2 saw SGA answer in crunch time, drilling a clutch dagger in the final minute to even the series 1-1
Game 3 showcased OKC’s depth as its bench erupted for a Playoff-high 76 points to take a 2-1 lead
Game 4 saw the Spurs respond behind a Wemby masterclass – highlighted by an epic halfcourt shot before halftime – to tie the series 2-2
It was the latest counter in a series filled with them, with each team trying to impose its will in a rivalry that’s grown more intense by the game.
“A lot of these Playoff games come down to physicality and force,” said OKC coach Mark Daigneault after Game 4
“Your force has to be better than their physicality on defense, and your physicality has to be better than their force on offense.”
Now, after four showdowns of swings, answers and momentum shifts, the series resets to a race to two wins.
Winner advances to the NBA Finals.
“The series is far from over,” said Wemby after Game 4. “We got six more wins before we can rest.”
4. HOW SPURS RESPONDED IN GAME 4 WITH SOME EXTRA ‘POP’
The Spurs returned to their home locker room without a win. After a 15-point loss to the Thunder in Game 3, they had fallen behind 2-1 in the West Finals.
In walked Gregg Popovich, the legendary coach who once led San Antonio to five NBA championships. The team’s president of basketball operations didn’t mince words.
“That’s not how we play basketball,” Popovich told the team, according to De’Aaron Fox.
Pop’s words carry weight. In San Antonio, you listen when “El Jefe” speaks, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes
Their Response? The Spurs held the defending champs to a season-low 82 points in Game 4, OKC’s fewest points in a game since Dec. 2, 2021
Beast Contained: They also limited Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – the back-to-back Kia MVP – to 19 points, while handing OKC its first road loss this postseason
Popovich, who retired from coaching after the 2024-25 season, hadn’t done something like that at any point earlier in this campaign.
“That was the first time all season he came into the locker room right after a game and told us how he felt,” said Fox. “Everybody felt that.”
Points Party: Eleven different scorers contributed for San Antonio in Game 4, including four in double figures — Victor Wembanyama (33), Devin Vassell (13), Stephon Castle (13) and Fox (12)
Extraterrestrial Excels: Wemby’s 33 points were a game-high. The Kia Defensive Player of the Year also had 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals
The Result? Their stifling defensive effort and complete offensive approach handed OKC just its fifth 20+ point loss of the season
The Spurs are now 6-3 against the reigning champs in 2025-26. If they add another victory tonight, they’ll return to San Antonio for Game 6 with a 3-2 lead.
Game 5 comes first, though, where they’ll try to channel Popovich once again.
“He’s been a big part of this whole year. It’s been amazing,” said Carter Bryant. “Not everybody has the greatest coach of all time just kind of sitting there in their laps.”
5. OKC LOOKS TO GET BACK TO WINNING FORMULA IN GAME 5
In Game 3, OKC’s depth sparked a Thunder storm.
In Game 4, that same supporting cast – which has shined all season – went uncharacteristically quiet.
Needing a boost with Jalen Williams (hamstring, questionable) and Ajay Mitchell (calf, out), the Thunder’s bench cooled after Friday’s 76-point eruption, while San Antonio beat OKC at its own game – forcing turnovers, attacking in waves and overwhelming the Thunder physically.
Now, with the West Finals tied 2-2, the defending champs head home searching for another response. That starts with reigniting the supporting cast – and reclaiming their physical edge, writes The Athletic’s Joel Lorenzi:
“The Spurs did not piece together a masterpiece in Game 4 themselves. They made just nine of their 33 3-point attempts on a night they scored 103 points. Among the tangible differences, though, was that they played with desperation.
“They played like their season was on the line, and we didn’t,” Chet Holmgren said.” | Read More
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