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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.

The New York Knicks punched their ticket to the NBA Finals on Monday night with a 4-0 sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are locked in a grueling West Finals series that is guaranteed to go six games and possibly seven.

The turn of events means the Knicks are set to enjoy an eight-day rest period before Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3, while the Spurs and Thunder could have just two off days if their series goes to Game 7 on May 30 — a very realistic scenario. Even if the West Finals end with a Game 6 on May 28, the Spurs and Thunder will have a quicker turnaround time to prepare for the red-hot Knicks in the NBA Finals.

Knicks to Be Well Rested

Several analysts believe the Knicks will have an obvious advantage heading into the NBA Finals. Besides the extended break, the Knicks are expected to take a fully healthy squad into the championship round, unlike the Thunder and Spurs, who beat each other up through the first four games of a physical series. While the Thunder have lost Jalen Williams (hamstring) and Ajay Mitchell (groin) to injuries, the Spurs face uncertainty over Dylan Harper (adductor), one of their six main rotational pieces.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps explained why the Spurs or Thunder would be unwise to underestimate the Knicks, even though the Western Conference representative would hold home-court advantage and likely open as betting favorites.

“The challenge of slowing down either Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Victor Wembanyama and their talented depth will easily be New York’s toughest test. But the Knicks can argue they are playing as well as any team in the history of the league over the past month,” he wrote, making a case for the Knicks to win the NBA Finals.

Knicks: ‘Job Not Done’

“The hardest part of the climb is still ahead. Getting past either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs is far from a certainty, as New York will be the underdog against either team when the Finals start.

“But don’t tell that to the Knicks, or their fans. For the next eight days, they’ll be able to sit back, rest and revel in a historic run.

“And with how things are going, why should they stop dreaming now?”

After reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in 26 years, the Knicks did not sound like a team that was satisfied. All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns said his team was not in a celebratory mood after sweeping the Cavaliers.

“It’s a magical thing, it’s a historic thing. It’s something New York has been dying for, for a long time,” he said, via ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill.

“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.”

Knicks vs Spurs/Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off at 8:30 p.m. on June 3.