The Knicks finally stood atop the NBA world this week, even if it was just the in-season tournament. Winning the NBA Cup was a nice way to head into the holidays but the franchise and its fans are looking for something much bigger – a trip to the Finals and the Larry O’Brien trophy.
They reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time in a quarter century, only to get knocked out by the underdog Pacers. They haven’t sniffed the Finals since the 1998/99 season, when the Spurs’ Twin Towers of David Robinson and Tim Duncan bounced them in a five-game series.
As their long-time fans know, the Knicks haven’t hoisted the trophy since 1973, when the iconic starting five of Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe carried them past the Lakers.
The Eastern Conference certainly seems ripe for the taking. The Pistons have been nothing short of marvelous during the first two months of the season but they haven’t won a playoff series since 2008.
The Cavaliers, who rolled to the top seed in the conference last season, are hovering around .500. Perhaps a young team like the Magic can get hot at the right time, but currently the Knicks are a solid favorite to come out of the East.
Via trades and free agency, the Knicks have assembled a formidable starting five (or six, if you count Mitchell Robinson) in Most Valuable Player candidate Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart.
Offensively, they rank in the top five in points and three-point shooting while keeping their turnovers down. Defensively, they rank in the top five in opponents’ field goal percentage.
Their bench may be somewhat underwhelming, though they have some veteran pieces. Their ability to make moves is severely hamstrung by the fact that they’re hard-capped and operating narrowly below the second tax apron.
That brings us to today’s topic: Is this the season the Knicks finally reach the Finals again and perhaps even win the championship for the first time in 53 years? If not, what do you think will hold them back?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
19 What !!? 73 !!?
Just kidding guys. I love my fellow Hoops fans that are Knicks diehards. You know who you are.
You all are good people, great commenters, and I enjoy reading what you write. You’re very fair and provide excellent basketball analysis.
Go Knicks !! I’m one warrior fan who wishes NY well this year. The Warriors are down and out so hoping the Knicks can get it done and go all the way.
They’re close enough to get over the hump. Maybe they can push through?
Aww, thanks pal. Dubs are good dudes… except Draymond but he’s so perfectly bad, it’s all good. At their peak they were pretty unhateable as dynasties go. F the red sox though!
Love it. Yeah the Sox. We’re always looking up at the Yanks. Even when we won the big one, we were a wildcard team lol.
Oh jebus….sorry not sorry Al. It’s good for the game when a big market like NY are relevant but, c’mon. Much respect for the knicks storing that banner where it belongs….nowhere to be seen, it’s 100% not the end goal.
Knickerbocker Al? He’s a different cat. Not a nice man. Had to close the door on him and Davey for my sanity. So much more peaceful the last month lol
🤣🤣
The 1999 Knicks didn’t have Patrick. He played with a hairline fracture in Pacers series. So was out for Spurs series. Not that they would have won. But it would have been more competitive. You never know right. Knicks ran into a Bulls Dynasty team. They pushed them higher than any other team those yrs. Really could have won two of those. Knicks never got a real PG. Still those were some fun years.
It’s always better to win, for sure. You have to have the team to win. Tough series are separated by a couple of shots. A miss here a make there. Real basketball people understand what happened. And respect the results and the other team. NY has the most real fans in any sport. We aren’t bandwagon like most other cities.
Yeah it’s been a long time. We can thank Dolan for that. You should know your history if you want to talk history. It takes two to Tango ….
NBA franchises with most appearances in Finals
1– Lakers (32) ……. This is the definition of a Weaker Conference. For all the Clowns
2– Celtics (23)
3– Sixers (9)
4– Warriors (8) and as Philadelphia Warriors an East team they have (4)
5– Knickerbockers (8)
6– Pistons (7)
7– Heat (7)
8– Bulls (6) only undefeated team in finals.
9– Spurs (6)
10– Cavaliers (5)
For all the geniuses here who always call the East the weaker conference. East has more chips than the west. And thats with east teams moving west. Figure it out. The East has the top 7 teams. To make it to NBA Finals ……. History
This is for the coward —
Go
GaryRedSoxxWarriors
December 18, 2025
Knickerbocker Al? He’s a different cat. Not a nice man. Had to close the door on him and Davey for my sanity. So much more peaceful the last month lol
☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️🤡🤡
Learn the game. Then you might be able to lie about it better. You insult me. And now cry for sympathy. Anyone here gets two chances with me. Like you did.
You can’t handle real knowledge. Then you shouldn’t respond to me. Yet As you have just shown everyone again today. The little man you really are. Keep my name out your mouth. You will have a better experience.
Al and Davey are the two easiest mutes on the forum
Another weak poster. Your feelings still hurt lol.
Ask me if IGAF …
Been a fan since the early 90s, and this group is the best I’ve felt about the Knicks since the late 90s. They’ve got a solid chance to go to the Finals if everyone stays healthy. Detroit looks like legit competition, though. Celtics are a wild card if they can stay in playoff position and Tatum returns. Everyone else in the east is very beatable, imo.
Detroit does look good, but I follow the formula of needing to “get there and fail first” before you can reach the promised land. You have to wander in the wilderness for a year or two, in preparation.
But yes, they’re certainly on their way it would seem.
Oh my goodness the 90s. Charles Smith blocked three times, Pat Riley, Starks with the greatest dunk in the history of the world over Pippin was it.., or Pippin and Jordan?
Patrick Ewing, Oakley, wow what a time to be alive. Right there at the door. Can imagine you pulling your hair out some of those seasons.
I was just talking to a friend the other day about how if John Starks goes like 5-18 instead of 2-18 in Game 7, they probably win a championship that year. Either way, Starks is still one of the favorite Knicks ever and his journey to the NBA is legendary.
Your Warriors were quite fun back then, too. Didn’t win a whole lot but Run TMC was very fun to watch. For my money, Mullin and Richmond are two of the most underrated players from that era.
Oh yeah, I forgot about that detail. I can imagine the pain as Starks kept shooting and shooting.
Almost like two years ago when Klay kept shooting and shooting and finished 3- 15 and like 2 for 11 on two different playoff nights. So tough to watch. Especially considering the importance of each game that time of year in the playoffs.., or in the Warriors case of course, the play in lol
I feel like any Knicks fan who was paying attention can immediately tell you John Starks’ Game 7 shooting line without having to look it up.
A testament to the man himself that one night didn’t define his career. The fact that he was even there and the journey he took is, to me, why Knicks fans still love the guy.
I wasn’t born yet when Knicks won it. Yet I know all about those teams. I have all the videos. And know all the history. I am a basketball fan and a lifelong Knicks fan. That team had a great run. They followed the great Celtic dynasty.
Lost to Celtics in 1968-69 East Finals. Went to East Finals six straight yrs. And went to three NBA Finals 2-1. Had a great run 1968-69 till 1973-74. They are the only team to have their starting 5 in HOF. That Knicks team has 9 total HOFers on that team.
One of greatest teams ever.
The NBA cup win is better than getting to the finals and losing, so they can only better the cup win by winning it all… which they won’t!
Kolek with a nice gm tonight. It’s the Pacers, still. I hope this is a sign he is starting to get it. Two games in a row he has played well. 🙏
Tonight — 26 mins, 16 pts, 11 ast, 6 reb …
I actually like the ‘70 championship team better – subtract Earl the Pearl and add Dick Barnett, plus Cazzie Russell as our instant offense off the bench.
Given how thin their bench is, while this current team clearly has talent, they will need to be 100% healthy to have a shot at going to the finals, imo.
Speaking as a guy who saw the 90’s NYK and Chicago rivalry first hand. When you saw them both face off, you know it’d be a tough must see series. Knicks 90’s teams were good, very very good, good coaching, good bench but the problem was they didn’t have a Robin with Ewing which is astonishing, because it’s the mecca of basketball and you couldn’t draw a single player to help Ewing? Obviously I am biased and will never ever root for the Knicks nor will I ever wish them any luck. It’s nothing personal, strictly basketball related. 52 years and counting. :-)
Congrats to half a title/banner though!
Thanks pal! About as high of praise as I’d expect from an old school Bulls fan. Wasn’t even a Knick fan growing up but I hated y’all just as much as a Shaq-era Magic fan.
Would be fun if y’all joined us in some relevant games again. Bad Boys will have to do for now
Lmao we have no hope to turn it around. I expect nothing until 2040.
Shaq/Penny era was fun while it lasted. Agreed on Pistons, but they are too likeable. Like Cade is THAT dude. I’m happy for that team and their fans, which is weird to say bc when I see clips and games of Zeke’s squad, I want to throw a brick at my television lmao.
Zeke, a man we can both hate with gusto
You’re right they never really added a second star. They did get Oak to protect Patrick. Then always found good players at end of their careers. Riley got a big head and was let go to Miami. Then JVG an inexperienced guy took over a contender. Yeah they couldn’t get it right around Patrick. Those Bulls and Pacers series were the best. Those yrs Bulls, Knicks, Pacers were probably the three best teams in the NBA.
Don’t forget Baby Shaq with Orlando. That team was also fun to watch until Shaq left. I believe Riley left because he wanted the POBO title. That’s what I remember when people used to say “Pat the Rat” at MSG and newspaper clippings lol.
Everyone in NY waiting on their championship now is the worst thing that happened to the Knicks.
Every game is a playoff game to the team they play that night. The exceedingly bad habit of being down a gang of points and having to storm back to win won’t last much longer.
To much energy goes into that. The well will run dry at some point and force them to find amother way to win.
Agreed, but isn’t that one of the biggest reasons why they made the coaching change?
The last guy really ground them to powder? He ran them into the ground?
Hopefully that’s not happening this time around and there will be enough juice in the tank when it’s needed.
This Knicks team has a chance to go to Finals. In NY we only take one series at a time. Plenty of time still as of now. Knicks have a few moves to make yet.
Yabusele has to go if Brown is not going to use him. I still see Mitch going. He is our best trade asset. Love to get Looney and Bey. Mitch is from NOLA. Or even a guy like Isaac somehow. This team has a strong chance to get out the East. Winning it all is going to take a better bench. And Bridges leveling up. He needs to become the star we traded for.
How do you lose to Philly. Especially at home. Towns D and the bench. Mitch with a big game tonight. 21 and 10 in 26 mins. He is our biggest trade chip. Has to be for a 4 that can help Towns. That allows us to move Hart to sixth man. Bench is an issue. Yabusele is a bust and Landry ain’t coming back.
Mitch >>>>> for >>>> Bey and Looney….. I’ll throw in two 2nd rd picks.
Knicks 3 gms in 4 nights. You still can’t lose at home to Sixers ……. maaaan