Knicks’ playoff dominance puts them among group of NBA champions

When the New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after he led the franchise to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in a quarter century, they put themselves directly under the microscope. Following the highly polarizing decision to replace him with fellow two-time Coach of the Year Mike Brown, this organization was immediately thrust into NBA Finals or bust mode. The Knickerbockers are currently rising above all that pressure.

Although the job is far from finished, New York is now just two wins away from taking the East after breezing past the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night. The Knicks bested their opponent 56-44 in the second half and ultimately prevailed by a score of 109-93. They have nine double-digit victories in the 2026 playoffs, with a hard-fought 108-102 effort versus the Philadelphia 76ers representing their lone single-digit W.

Only the 2017 Golden State Warriors and 2013 Miami Heat have more (10 each), per Josh Dubow of The Associated Press. They both claimed the NBA championship. It gets even better for New York.

The Knicks boast an astounding +221 point differential, which is the highest mark ever through a team’s first 12 postseason contests, per Dubow. The 2017 Dubs, 1971 Milwaukee Bucks, 1987 Los Angeles Lakers, 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder, 1996 Chicago Bulls and 2001 Lakers, all of whom rank in the top-eight in this category, each seized the title. Interestingly, the 2026 San Antonio Spurs, a potential Finals opponent for the Knicks, come in at No. 7.

Even when New York looked down and out in Game 1 against the Cavs, it still wound up grabbing an 11-point overtime win. This fan base does not need another reason to celebrate — you could probably hear the “Knicks in Four” chants from your living room — but the statistics and energy surrounding the No. 3 seed in the East look noticeably different.

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