Some blame President Donald Trump for the New York Knicks' loss in the NBA Finals, but Peyton Manning thinks his younger brother Eli is at fault for Game 3.
During the Oct. 26, 2026, edition of the ManningCast, which featured an appearance from Knicks captain Jalen Brunson, Peyton Manning pointed out that his little brother attended the only game that New York lost.
Peyton called out Eli for being in attendance for the @nyknicks' only loss in the NBA Finals 😂
cc: @derekjeter 👋 pic.twitter.com/vCAk8p6XmE
— Omaha Productions (@OmahaProd) October 27, 2026
“If I recall, the Knicks only lost one in that series, and they lost that game. Was that a coincidence?” he asked his younger brother.
Eli Manning then explained that he had been to other playoff games in the past. He also defended himself against the “bandwagon” fan allegations, prompting him to “name drop” Derek Jeter. This prompted Peyton Manning to reveal a lesson he learned from Paul McCartney: “It's rude to name drop.”
It was a disappointing game, as the Knicks had a chance to build a 3-0 lead against the San Antonio Spurs. However, they lost, and the Spurs made the series 2-1.
Manning attended the game with his son, Charlie. As his older brother pointed out, this was the only game that the Knicks lost in the NBA Finals. It also snapped a 13-game win streak.
Game 4 started ugly. The Knicks were down by 29 points. They were able to come back and win the game, thanks to Brunson and OG Anunoby's heroics.
Article Continues BelowIt all worked out. The Knicks closed out the NBA Finals in five games, winning the franchise's first championship in 53 years. The celebrations continued throughout the summer.
New York closed out the celebrations before their 2026-27 season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. They raised the banner and handed out rings to the players.
Unfortunately, the Knicks have struggled out of the gate in 2026. They are 0-3 and are heading into a game against the top seed in the Eastern Conference a year ago, the Detroit Pistons.