Daily Discussion Thread + Game Thread Index | Playoffs
[Post Game Thread] The New York Knicks (4-0) complete the sweep as they devastate the Cleveland Cavaliers (0-4) in Game 4, 130-93, to advance to their first NBA Finals since 1999
[Highlight] In order to keep the Knicks’ players desperate in every game no matter the score, Mike Brown had his staff create a video before Game 1 of the ECF showing the players’ faces after being eliminated by Indiana last season. The message: “How did you feel in that moment?”
[Highlight] Jalen Brunson tells Josh Hart to get out the way
[Highlight] Jalen Brunson is named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP
The Empire State Building immediately changes to Knicks colors after they clinch their first NBA Finals berth since 1999
“I’ve been rooting for the Knicks since I’ve been 7 years old and to have a team like this is pretty darn special.” - Legendary Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen on the Knicks heading to the NBA Finals
The Sacramento Kings are 2 games away from watching a Mike Brown vs De’Aaron Fox finals. This is just a year after watching Tyrese Haliburton make the finals
THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENTION
James Harden after the Cavs were swept by the Knicks :“Genuinely, I do feel like we are the better team,”
Knicks fans sweeping the streets after the Knicks sweep Cavs
[Highlight] Donovan Mitchell is having words with his teammates in the huddle.
James Harden when it matters most: 12 points, 2⁄8 FGs, 0/6 from 3s, 5 TOs, -19 in 33 minutes
Jalen Brunson wants to set the record straight: He and Mikal Bridges won two national titles at Villanova while Josh Hart won one
[Highlight] Mike Brown when asked if he’s encountered a leader like Jalen Brunson:
“Tim Duncan and Steph Curry.”
[Highlight] The Cavaliers emptied their bench, with over 8 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter
The Knicks will complete the sweep in Cleveland and go up to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years!
The Knicks just made the Finals with a top-five core that was not drafted by them and without having a First Team All-NBA player
The New York Knicks receive the Eastern Conference Finals trophy
Mike Brown set a record for the longest gap between finals appearances in NBA history as a coach
Jalen Brunson as a Knick in the playoffs (4 seasons) 29.2⁄3.5⁄6.7 57.3 TS% in 56 games played
[Highlight] KAT throws down a windmill dunk after being called for a foul
The Knicks will play 11 games in 40 days before the NBA finals.
Landry Shamet: “Ya’ll know, Knicks fans are a specific species of human that should be studied. They are special, man. They are crazy.
[Highlight] With a 130-93 victory in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks win the series 4-0 and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The Knicks have now won 11 straight games this postseason, and six straight by double-digits.
They call Brunson clutch…
Donovan Mitchell on rumors that Atkinson is on the hot seat: “It’s funny, we’ve done something we haven’t done since 2018. People probably criticize me just as much, and James. But I love Kenny. We love Kenny. We ride with Kenny. We could’ve got swept in the finals and someone would say something.”
[Katz] Mike Brown has continually said that closeout games are the hardest games to win. His team is doing an awful job proving that point.
[SNY] “It’s been a long time. Carrying on the tradition, passing it down to Jalen. He’s the guy now that has to carry it. You got to capitalize when you get there, so we’re gonna stay on him.” Clyde Frazier on giving Jalen Brunson the Larry Bird Trophy alongside Patrick Ewing:
Donovan Mitchell checks out in the Loss against the Knicks: 31 PTS | 9⁄18 FGS | 5⁄9 3PTS | 8⁄10 FTS | 69% TS
[All-Access] A view from the crowd in Cleveland as Jalen Brunson sinks the 3-pointer. New York leads by 20 points early in Game 4.
Inside the NBA mock the Cavaliers with the “definition” of the word ‘Quit’
[Highlight] “You’re supposed to be asking questions and you went and got chicken wings!”
Josh Hart (with his glass of wine) talks to a reporter eating at the presser
Karl Anthony Towns this playoffs: 16.9pts /10.6Reb/5.9 Asts on 71 TS% and 48.9% from 3, plus 1.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game
De’Aaron Fox: “Everything you hear about Victor is true. He doesn’t want to see blue light after 9 o’clock…When we have games end close to midnight, he comes to the locker room with blue light glasses on.”
James Harden was asked to self-assess his playoff run: “I think I did pretty good, you know, like, I don’t grade myself on shotmaking… Defensively, been extremely solid; offensively, you know, getting guys shots and fitting into a system that was already in place.”
Jaylen Brown reacts to Stephen A threatening him on First Take: “Come on Stephen A, what you El Chapo? You running the media cartel my boy?”
[Highlight] Landry Shamet hits the 3-pointer to put the Knicks up 29 in the 2nd quarter.
The 2025-26 Knicks are the first team since the 2016-17 Warriors to go 8-0 in the conference semifinals and conference finals (rounds 2 and 3)
Karl-Anthony Towns postgame interview after the Knicks clinched the NBA Finals.
Loud ‘Let’s go Knicks’ chants in Cleveland
[Schefter] Knicks won their three closeout games this postseason by 51, 30, and 37 points.
[Weiss] After his pregame warmup, Spurs center Luke Kornet, a devout Catholic who has his own blog that originally reviewed churches on the NBA circuit, received a blessing. He ended up finally having a solid game… “We have to fly them to OKC,” Kornet said. “We have to get them on the plane.”
The New York Knicks finish with the all-time biggest point differential in an Eastern Conference Finals sweep
Mike Breen reflects with MSG team before getting in Finals mode: “We’ve broadcasted a lot of bad basketball… for Clyde to say this team reminds him [of his], he doesn’t say that very often. For him to say that Jalen reminds him of the leadership of Willis, he doesn’t say that about anybody.”
[Finberg] Former Wizards Landry Shamet (23-24) and Dillon Jones (25-26) have made the NBA Finals with the New York Knicks. It marks the 18th straight NBA Finals that will feature a former Wizard — a streak that dates back to 2009.
[Stein] The Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, and Portland Trail Blazers all have legitimate interest in acquiring Jaylen Brown.
[All-Access] On the court as Jalen Brunson is awarded the Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
[SNY] Donovan Mitchell: “Y’all asked me 1000 times if we were tired, I can’t tell you yes. But we did this to ourselves. Not an excuse, they’re a hungry team. They beat us, swept us, I don’t want to diminish that. But we didn’t give ourselves a chance because we didn’t handle business”
Landry Shamet checks out in the win: 16⁄2 on 116% TS
[Uthayakumar] James Harden finished with more turnovers (5) than made field goals (2) for the 33rd time in his playoff career & the 7th time this postseason.