The New York Knicks have not played a game since Monday night. They swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, closing the series with a 130-93 blowout in Game 4, and have been watching from the sideline ever since.
Their opponent for the NBA Finals is still being decided. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are headed to a Game 7 after San Antonio forced the series with a 118-91 win in Game 6. The Knicks will not know who they face until the final buzzer sounds in Oklahoma City.
On Thursday, head coach Mike Brown was asked to put a preference on the matchup.
Brown Gives His Answer
Brown said it didn’t matter, and that if the Knicks expect to be who they believe they are, the matchup does not change anything.
Then he added a personal twist.
“If we played San Antonio, it would save me some money because my family lives in San Antonio. I don’t have to buy airline tickets” Brown said.
It was a lighthearted answer from the head coach. Between his assistant stops and head-coaching career, he has been through the Finals routine six times before.
The larger message was clear. Brown is not watching the Western Conference Finals hoping for a specific opponent. The Knicks are preparing like a team that believes the matchup should have to adjust to them.
The Run That Backs It Up
That confidence did not come from nowhere.
New York’s run has become historic less because of the streak itself and more because of the margins. Over this 11-game playoff surge, the Knicks are plus-262, a number that puts this stretch above any 11-game run the league has seen.
The clinchers have been even louder. The Knicks eliminated the Atlanta Hawks by 51, the Philadelphia 76ers by 30, and the Cavaliers by 37.
New York is back in the Finals for the first time since 1999. They are chasing their first championship since 1973. Right now, they look like a team that believes the moment is coming.
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 25: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks celebrate with the Bob Cousy Trophy after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
What Comes Next for the Knicks
The Knicks will face either the reigning champion Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or Victor Wembanyama’s surging Spurs. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for June 3.
Brown is not losing sleep over which team walks out of that building.
That matters because the Knicks have spent this playoff run making opponents react to them. Their defense has traveled. Their offense has found rhythm. And their stars have delivered.
The Finals will be different. The Thunder have championship experience. The Spurs have the kind of talent that can bend a series quickly. But Brown’s point was simple enough.
At this stage, preference does not matter. Preparation does.
GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter in Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 24, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Knicks
Eleven straight wins. Historic margins. A roster that found its rhythm at exactly the right time. New York is waiting.
The opponent will be decided Saturday.
The Knicks will be ready.
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