Knicks have won their closeout games by an average of 39.3 points per game this postseason.
The greatest margin in NBA history.
Getty
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani arrives prior speaking about the fiscal year 2027 budget in New York City on May 12, 2026.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took a brutal shot at the Cleveland Cavaliers and their fanbase after the New York Knicks swept them in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals.
“@NYCSanitation I’d like to report a sweep,” Mamdani wrote on X in a message directed to New York City’s sanitation department. The post received nearly 180K likes and 3.5M views within a few hours, perfectly channeling the energy of Knicks fans.
Mamdani’s post was rather apt, given the manner in which the Knicks swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round and the Cavaliers in the East Finals. Mike Brown’s team similarly blew out the Atlanta Hawks in a closeout game in Game 6 of the first round by a franchise record margin of 51 points. By closing out all three opponents by over 30 points, the Knicks made NBA history, per StatMuse.
Knicks have won their closeout games by an average of 39.3 points per game this postseason.
The greatest margin in NBA history.
Knicks margin of victory in their three series closeout games:
51 (ATL) 30 (PHI) 37 (CLE)
The Knicks will face the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, a series tied at two wins apiece, in the NBA Finals starting on June 3. Although the Knicks are expected to be the underdogs, it would be unwise to count out Jalen Brunson and Co., who have won 11 games in a row by an average margin of 23.8 points — also an NBA record.
Brunson, the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, praised the Knicks coaching staff and front office for believing in him since he landed with the franchise in 2022.
“The belief the organization has in me has been amazing,” he said, via ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill. “It’s something I don’t take for granted. It’s something not a lot of people get the opportunity to do. It is an honor to be here, in this city with my teammates.
“These guys have my back.”
Knicks’ 11th straight playoff win clinches Eastern Conference title, sending them to NBA Finals for first time since 1999. Team has legitimate chance to win first title since 1973. Knicks are +272 during winning streak. They’ve won 3 closeout games by combined 118 pts
The Knicks made a concerted effort not to get too carried away with their celebration after a crushing 130-93 win over the Cavaliers in Game 4 of the East Finals on Monday.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who grew up a Knicks fan, was glad to bring cheer to his city after snapping a 26-year NBA Finals drought. But he made it clear that his team’s mindset wasn’t a celebratory one.
“It’s a magical thing, it’s a historic thing. It’s something New York has been dying for, for a long time. I know how this team works. It’s OK for New York, the fans, us, our families, to enjoy this moment and be jubilant about this.
“But for us as players, the job is not done,” he stressed.
Head coach Mike Brown admitted there were stretches late in the season when he wasn’t sure if the Knicks could make a deep playoff run. Those doubts only grew louder when the Knicks were down 2-1 vs. the Hawks, before winning 11 straight.
“Down the stretch, there was always a little bit of question whether we’d be able to get over the hump,” Brown admitted. “With about six or seven games to go — I started to see us playing some good basketball and do things that were more selfless and more sacrificing. During the regular season you have your ups and downs. Sometimes we got through it quickly, sometimes it took us a minute to figure it out.”
Knicks will face either the Spurs or Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided's Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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