Knicks Sweep into First Finals in 27 Years

The New York Knicks are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.

New York completed the series Monday night with a 130-93 rout in Cleveland, extending its playoff winning streak to 11 games and sending a packed contingent of traveling Knicks fans into celebration.

The Knicks dominated from the start and pulled their starters with 7:47 remaining while leading by 35. Fans chanted “Knicks in four,” with celebrity supporters including Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan and Timothée Chalamet in attendance.

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while OG Anunoby added 17 points. The Knicks overwhelmed Cleveland in transition and on the offensive glass, with coach Mike Brown pointing to 65 points from offensive rebounds and fast breaks.

“Our guys played great,” Brown said. “We wanted to push the pace.”

The series never recovered for Cleveland after Game 1, when the Cavaliers blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead. New York followed with comfortable wins in Games 2 and 3 before turning Game 4 into a rout.

The Finals berth marks the peak of a dramatic Knicks turnaround. From 2001 through 2022, New York missed the playoffs in 16 of 21 seasons and won only eight postseason games. The franchise’s fortunes changed after signing Jalen Brunson away from Dallas in 2022.

Brunson has since become the face of the revival, earning All-NBA Second Team honors three times in four seasons and leading the Knicks from playoff relevance to the Finals. Civilization survives another day, somehow through competent point guard play.

New York will face the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, currently tied 2-2. The NBA Finals begin June 3, with the Western Conference champion holding home-court advantage.

The Knicks last reached the Finals in 1999, losing to San Antonio. Their last championship came in 1973.