The New York Knicks are riding an 11-game playoff winning streak, decimating opponents by an NBA-record average of 23.8 points. Yet, they will be viewed as underdogs against either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in their return to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years.
OG Anunoby — a vital cog in New York’s historic run — sent a clear warning shot to anyone thinking the Knicks are satisfied with merely reaching the NBA Finals.
“It’s not done yet. Four more,” a razor-focused Anunoby told MSG Networks’ Alan Hahn after his team swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Knicks Plan to Win NBA Finals
Karl-Anthony Towns made similar comments after the Knicks steamrolled the Cleveland Cavaliers, 130-93, in the series-clinching Game 4 on Monday.
While the lifelong Knicks fan in Towns is thrilled for the New York faithful, his locker room is strictly business — completely locked in on four more wins.
“It’s a magical thing, it’s a historic thing. It’s something New York has been dying for, for a long time. I know how this team works. It’s OK for New York, the fans, us, our families, to enjoy this moment and be jubilant about this.
“But for us as players, the job is not done,” Towns said, via ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill.
Knicks on a Historic Run
History suggests that the Knicks have more than a puncher’s chance to snap their 53-year NBA title drought this year.
Only three other teams — the 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers (11 straight wins), 1988-89 Los Angeles Lakers (11 straight wins) and 2016-17 Golden State Warriors (15 straight wins) — had won 11 more or consecutive games in a playoff run before. Only the 88-89 Lakers fell short of winning it all, falling to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals.
Longest win streaks entering the Finals since playoff expansion in 1984:
12 – Warriors (2017) 🏆 11 – Knicks (2026) 👀 11 – Lakers (2001) 🏆 11 – Lakers (1989) ❌
None of those three previous teams, however, put together a stretch quite as dominant as this 11-game run by the Knicks, which took flight in Game 4 of the first round against the Atlanta Hawks. Their +262 points differential is the largest by any team in an 11-game stretch — regular season or playoffs — in NBA history. Furthermore, by closing out their first three opponents by over 30 points, the Knicks made more history.
That is the best point differential across 11 games in NBA history, regardless of whether it is regular or postseason play.
What an incredible month it has been in New York.
The greatest margin in NBA history.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps believes Spurs or Thunder would be unwise to underestimate the Knicks, even though the Western Conference representative would own home-court advantage and open as betting favorites.
“The challenge of slowing down either Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Victor Wembanyama and their talented depth will easily be New York’s toughest test. But the Knicks can argue they are playing as well as any team in the history of the league over the past month,” he wrote, making a case for New York to win the championship.
Knicks will face either the Spurs or Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3.
Knicks’ OG Anunoby Sends NBA Finals Warning to Spurs/Thunder