Mere hours after his Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973, Mitchell Robinson celebrated another victory.

Robinson posted a video on his Instagram Story on Sunday morning of him holding up a snake, which he says he caught in San Antonio before Game 5.

Robinson, 28. shows the snake close-up on camera before being told to put it down.

“I’m about to put it down! Calm down!” Robinson said.

Throughout the NBA Finals, Robinson was nursing a broken right hand he suffered after the conference finals. It is still unclear how Robinson sustained the fracture, as the team would not reveal the cause of the injury.

Robinson played the entire series after being listed as questionable for Game 1.

Robinson, the longest-tenured Knick who has been with the team for eight years, made a clutch offensive rebound in the last minute of the fourth quarter in Game 5 to help the Knicks secure the 94-90 win to take the series 4-1 over the San Antonio Spurs.

Robinson talked about the snake he caught in his postgame press conference.

“You know what’s crazy? [Friday] at the hotel I caught a snake — again,” Robinson said. “When I caught a snake in the beginning of the playoffs when we played Atlanta, we won. I caught one last night, and we won today.

“So I think it’s something about snakes.”

Perhaps it’s that, but it’s certainly also the work of Robinson’s captain. Jalen Brunson had 45 points in the closeout game and was awarded the Bill Russell Trophy for Finals MVP.

“It was unreal,” Robinson said of Brunson’s performance Saturday night. “Literally just unreal, like I’m speechless…

“To do it in a closeout game against a good team like that, it’s just different.”

This Knicks team is different indeed.

I was a big fan of Roger Ebert. I suppose, in a way, I still am.

Any time I watch a film that I know was made prior to April of 2013, I scramble to look it up after the movie is over, curious to see if our assessments are in the same ballpark.

About three-quarters of the time, I’m delighted to find that we shared a similar experience as viewers.

This is, for me, a big deal. I do not care for critics. However, this is largely due to the prevailing nature of critical disposition, rather than an issue with dissenting opinions themselves.

There is no critic who gets every assessment right. I was also very fond of the literary criticism of the late Harold Bloom, and I agreed with/fully enjoyed about 60% of it.

Sixty percent is no small amount of agreement between two human beings. In fact, when one considers factors such as personality, background, education, and regional affiliation, it might be considered some degree of minor miracle to agree with anyone to that extent.

We are not, as history has repeatedly demonstrated, an agreeable species.

Sir Thomas More understood this when he coined the word ‘Utopia’ as a clever linguistic pun. The Greek prefixes of ‘Ou’ and ‘Eu’ are so similar in phonetic pronunciation that they are more-or-less indistinguishable when the word is spoken aloud.

The difference in their effect on the meaning of the word is, however, substantial, with ‘Eutopos’ translating to ‘the good place’ and ‘Outopos’ translating to ‘no place’.

Both of those meanings are contained within the same word — not unlike the phrase ‘NBA Finals’.

And while critical opinion of More’s book Utopia is now largely united in agreement that his now-500-year-old text is satirical in nature, there’s still a lot of disagreement about what More was satirizing in particular.

Some believe that his target was the monarchy. Others are of the opinion that he was targeting Catholicism, Christianity, or even religion as a whole.

Time goes on, and the list grows longer to include (among others) The Protestant Reformation, The Church of England, Platonic Humanism, Foreign Policy, Colonialism, Politics, Penal Codes, Materialism, Capitalism, Religious Intolerance, and even one of his friend’s books (Erasmus’s ‘In Praise of Folly’).

And the fascinating thing about each suggestion and argument is that they have this subtle way of telling you more about the individuals who proposed them than about More’s actual intentions, which remain somewhat nebulous.

It’s not terribly dissimilar from the revelations a person might encounter in the critiques and opinions of the fans of a sports team.

And there are certainly a lot of opinions floating around out there right now, in the wake of what is only San Antonio’s 2nd series loss in seven attempts.

Tirades about Mitch Johnson and De’Aaron Fox that have been waiting until the opportune time to rear their heads, as if they weren’t preexisting opinions that were occasionally held back in the wake of victory, for lack of receptivity at the time.

Hair-trigger monologues demanding the trades and/or releases of half the roster and the firing of critical staff. Thoughtful analysis shifting the weight of disappointment to something more palatable.

Exercises in gratitude that belie a long-standing lack of faith in the team’s ability to accomplish the loftiest of goals. Deep reservoirs of sadness that suggest that hope for a better outcome was holding together the structure or foundation of something else.

Almost every Spur receiving blame or adulation in a way that seems indicative of a very particular or personal preoccupation with the player.

And honestly, this is fine. This is natural. This is human.

I do not (and cannot) exempt myself from feeling any-and-all of these things at different times in the course of a single game, much less a single series, or, for that matter, postseason. I cannot help but admit that.

Which is the crux of my issue with critics (and journalists). I don’t mind if we disagree. I don’t mind that they might be wrong.

What I mind, most of all, is a refusal to admit that one’s viewpoint (and therefore, opinion) might be subject to any one of a million different prejudices and points of vested interest.

And moreover, that one might not even be able to see it.

And to be fair, no one is perfectly aware of all of their partialities. To be so would involve being something other than human.

But I have no more respect for the critic who cannot admit to bias than I do for the sports journalist unable to admit that they have a favorite team that might color some of their discourse.

(Watching journalists and fans defending Mike Breen’s impartiality as a commentator in a championship final featuring the Knicks infuriated me to no end)

And I think that’s a big part of why I had such a fondness for Ebert, who, despite his social prominence as a preeminent film critic, was frequently honest about the nature of his reservations.

He was, in my opinion, much more often right than wrong in his evaluations, but he was also not above revisiting and reassessing films that he knew he had been wrong about.

And in 2002, he was wrong about my favorite film of all time, ‘Road To Perdition’.

Contrasting the film with Coppola’s iconic Godfather, he compares the difference between them to “the difference between Sophocles and Shakespeare”, summarizing that he prefers Shakespeare, calling Perdition a coldly preordained (though admirable) tragedy.

That Shakespeare (and the whole of Western drama) was inspired and influenced by the works of Sophocles is an observation that somehow escapes him. By his own admission, it appeared to be the result of his preference for a stronger illusion of free will.

And this is an opinion I’ve encountered in those unwilling to simply admit that they prefer Shakespeare.

This idea that Hamlet accidentally driving his beloved to suicide rather than the safety of a nunnery, or Lear failing to recognize the faithfulness and love of a daughter who refuses to flatter him is somehow more palatable or moving than Orpheus looking back for Eurydice, or Odysseus’s dog Argos recognizing him by scent and wagging his tail before his heart gives out, after 20 years spent waiting for his master.

Tragedy is tragedy. We can only measure it by how it moves us.

The tragedy of watching a father who has lived his life in villainy do everything he can to prevent his son from meeting the same fate is no less than the tragedy of a mafioso father having to call in a favor with an undertaker for an outcome he couldn’t foresee when he indebted him.

The tragedy of watching Ray Allen snuff out the victory of Duncan’s Spurs in sight of the Larry O’Brien is inseparable from the tragedy of watching Wemby’s team of young upstarts give up lead after lead and knowing what the outcome will most likely be.

Both of them wounded me equally, just in completely different ways.

One was on the cusp of victory. The other never truly looked close.

And that’s the thing about Greek tragedy: you can warn the protagonist endlessly and have no real effect. You can give them the advice and guidance and watch them make the mistake anyway.

It doesn’t matter if you’re Daedalus Popovich (no need to check, that was totally his last name), the greatest mythical inventor of Greek antiquity — your son is still going to forget/ignore your warning.

And, almost as tragically, eventually people are going to forget that your warning was twofold — to neither fly too high, nor too low. They’re going to forget that your story was actually about balance (not ambition), the very thing Icawemby and those young Spurs were lacking, and that cost them the most.

You think that knowing the ending makes it hurt less, Ebert? Please. You’re talking to someone who willingly sat there getting his heart repeatedly ripped out as the Spurs and Knicks traded fouls in the closing seconds of a game (and series) that he had known was over halfway through the quarter!

Did you somehow imagine that Prometheus experienced less pain because he already knew that the eagle was coming to rip out and devour his liver each day?!

But here I am, bellyaching about a review that is almost a quarter of a century old, in the hopes that the animus will somehow keep me from thinking about how the season just ended.

And the thing is, it was kind of working there for a minute. In nursing my grudge, I had almost forgotten what this whole thing was about. Anger is a potent narcotic. (Some studies have compared its effect to that of cocaine)

I have this sneaking suspicion that human fallibility was the subject of Thomas More’s Utopia — the fallibility so deeply rooted in our pain and anger that we are doomed to live in the borderlands between the good place and no place.

The Spurs are living in those borderlands. So are their fans. But that’s okay, because that’s where everyone lives.

The Knicks aren’t going to find that championship any more utopic than the silver-and-black would have.

Oh, they might get a few more days of respite, but then it’s back to real life. Then they get to resume their pursuit of the place that cannot be.

It’s a noble pursuit, and the Spurs came up just short.

It’s a tragedy. It’s a moral lesson. It’s life. And I can’t wait for next year.

No doubt about it. I am ready to get hurt again.

Takeways

• What an absolute rock-fight of a series. Not a single game was decided by more than 10 points. 4 games were decided by 4 points or less. On Twitter/X the question was posed as to whether this was the most competitive 5-game series in Finals history, and it’s a fair question because nothing in my memory stirs to contradict the assertion that it was. I’m honestly shocked that we didn’t have a single contest go to overtime. And while I understand that it’s far from the most soothing commentary on the loss, it really is an indicator of how close the Spurs already are. We can talk about expectations all we want, but the reality is that this team missed by a painfully small margin, and that means that the wholesale changes that some are stumping for aren’t necessarily needed. Yes, the Spurs have got to add one more scorer (of the shooting variety). The lack of depth in that department was exposed by the Knicks’ defense. As was the lack of depth in the front-court, where there was really no lineup option outside of Luke Kornet. Thankfully, the Spurs already have the resources to patch both of those holes. And of course, don’t discount the rippling effect of further growth from the young trio of Wemby, Castle, and Harper. I expect the Spurs to pick their spots and strengthen the team accordingly, but I also think they may move with more urgency than expected, with contract extensions on the very near horizon. It’s not as sexy or as satisfying as some might like, but even if the Spurs were to split the difference between the extremity of fan desires and their typically slow-moving pace, that would be one hell of an off-season.
• I don’t think De’Aaron Fox is going to get traded. However, if he were, I think you’d be most likely to see it happen in the next 9 days or so, either prior to or during the draft. With Giannis on the market and the current CBA incentivizing cap gymnastics, there are bound to be a lot of teams looking to move players for a variety of reasons, and the Spurs are in a good place to capitalize on that. If history is any indicator, the draft is an opening the Spurs are not uncomfortable making moves within, so keep your eyes peeled. On the other hand, the Spurs also have a knack for turning later picks into roster gold, so don’t be shocked if they hit on someone taking a draft tumble instead. In any case, if Fox doesn’t end up on the move, I think you can expect more three-guard lineups next season. On a night where Fox and Castle combined to go 4-25, Harper was a godsend and is already at the point that he can keep the team afloat. If each of those guards gets 30+ minutes per game next year, it’s going to lead to some interesting rotational quirks and changes. So, get ready for some weirdness, because the Spurs have never really been in such an enviable pickle, and I’m not sure any of us can predict how they’re going to balance it out.
• I’ve talked about the likely Champagnie extension coming in the off-season, and I don’t think that’ll be painful at all, but there are two interesting contracts on the roster in Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson that may make or break their time with the team in the coming seasons. It’s worth noting that Keldon’s is the one expiring after next season, and it makes me wonder how the Spurs will play that after his 6th Man of the Year award. With Castle, Harper, and Wemby’s contracts all likely to come with some serious sticker shock (not to mention Fox’s), it’s very likely that we’ll be saying goodbye to one (or both) of Devin and Keldon in the next year or two. It really makes me hope that the Spurs will turn next season into a revenge tour so that those two can taste championship victory after so many uncomplaining years toiling in non-contention.
• Coming into the series, I was concerned about San Antonio’s relative weaknesses in rebounding and three-point shooting, which turned out to be just enough to be fatal, but was actually not as considerable a difference as I had anticipated (the Knicks averaged about 1 rebound and 1 three-pointer per game more than the Spurs). What I didn’t anticipate was the Spurs struggling at the free-throw line so significantly that it ultimately cost them the series. They shot 63% from the free-throw line last night, missing out on 7 very crucial points in the process. It was one of two Finals games in which they shot 70% or worse from the line. I’m curious to see what their free-throw shooting ends up being like next season. I know I’d be shooting them all day, every day, out of sheer fury. Turns out you can’t escape the trappings of the fundamentals. Story of the series, really.

Playing You Out – The Theme Song of the Evening:

In a Big Country by Big Country

The Knicks’ championship celebration was cleared for takeoff.

The party began on the ground in San Antonio, but continued high in the sky on the team’s chartered Delta flight to New York just hours after its first championship in 53 years.

“And if you can, tell those guys congratulations, enjoy the moment,” one air traffic controller who cleared the team for takeoff in Texas is heard saying on newly released audio.

“Oh, they’re enjoying it back there; you probably can hear them,” one of the pilots replied. “They’re having a good time, we’ll pass it on.

“The plane’s rocking,” he said. “They’re having a party.”

The air traffic controller explained that he wanted to pass along congratulations before the players “fell asleep” — but the newly minted NBA champs chose celebration over slumber.

The flight was later cleared for a scenic detour that took them over the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge and up the Hudson River before heading north to Westchester County Airport.

“Please let the guys know, New York TRACON, LaGuardia tower, Kennedy tower, maybe even Newark tower and Westchester tower, we’re all running on about three or four hours of sleep but as happy as we could ever be,” one air traffic controller broadcast before the plane hit the runway. “Congrats.”

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“They finally settled down about 30 minutes ago,” the pilot answered,” but before that, it was a pretty excited bunch back here,” the pilot replied.

“I believe we’re all excited here,” the controller answered. “We’re on our second box of coffee this morning. “Go New York.”

The accolades continued after the Delta flight touched down at the Westchester airport after a four-hour flight Sunday morning, where the team was greeted with a water cannon salute.

Delta had been on board with the Knicks throughout their magical playoff run, handing out more than 2,000 rally towels and gifting two lucky fans tickets to Game 4 of the NBA Finals at MSG.

“New York has long been an important part of Delta’s story, and it is an honor to celebrate alongside the Knicks, MSG and our customers with this exciting win,” Emmakate Young, managing director of sponsorships for the airline, said in a statement.

New Yorkers across the city celebrated the Knicks’ win over the San Antonio Spurs all of Saturday night and into the wee hours of Sunday morning.

While there were 63 arrests stemming from some violent celebrations, the city became a sea of orange-and-blue bliss, with some committing to naming their newborns after Knicks stars and a bus driver dancing with fans.

A ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes is scheduled for Thursday. 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani shared his reaction to the viral rhyme that starts “My mayor’s Muslim, my bagel’s Jewish” and celebrates the New York Knicks ending their 53-year NBA championship drought.

Mamdani, 34, was asked about the viral rhyme Sunday morning during an interview with MS Now’s Jacob Soboroff, hours after the Knicks overcame a 16-point deficit in game five of the NBA Finals, sealing their victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Soboroff played the viral clip of MD Ahnaf Hossain, the originator of the rhyme, exclaiming: “My mayor’s still Muslim, my bagel’s still Jewish, even the Pope’s on our side, Knicks in five!”

“He is a New Yorker whose words have really stayed with all of us,” Mamdani, who was wearing a Knicks jersey over his dress shirt and tie, said with a chuckle. “And thanks to him, there are a lot of people who have just been running up to me over the last few weeks just shouting, ‘My mayor’s Muslim!’ I said, ‘It’s true. I am.’”

The viral fan chant, which originated as “My mayor’s Muslim, my bagel’s Jewish, my Christian Dior, Knicks in four,” took on new life — and became something of a mantra in the Big Apple — as New Yorkers shouted out their hometown pride and stood united ahead of Game 5 Saturday night.

Mamdani noted that the viral chant “speaks to what the city is and even this team.”

“It’s not just a cookie cut out of the same thing again and again, it’s every single player having a role, bringing together all of the five boroughs in this moment. It’s truly a joy,” he added.

The mayor noted the high, electric energy that has been radiating in New York City as of late due to the Knicks’ historic run in the NBA finals and the World Cup. Thousands of New Yorkers gathered Saturday to take in the historic win, with many taking to the streets after to celebrate the team’s first victory since 1973.

“People have been waiting for this for 53 years. And there have been so many heartbreaks, so many near misses, so many years every year where we have told ourselves it's the year,” Mamdani said. “And for it to actually happen now, I mean, there's nothing more we can ask for as New Yorkers.”

“ It's honestly a beautiful thing,” he added.

“I was reading a piece this morning that really wrote about it quite beautifully, where it said that oftentimes this kind of unity comes in moments of tragedy. And to see it coming now, in a moment of joy, it's something that I have never seen before across our city, where the nation's largest city has become what feels like the world's smallest town, where everyone is thinking and hoping and praying for the same thing,” he added.

Several notable quotes from the viral fan chant have been replicated on hats and T-shirts. It has also been declared “pure New York City poetry” by The New York Times. Meanwhile, the man who went viral for the championship mantra, 23-year-old Hossain, told the Washington Post it was about unifying the city at a crucial time.

“I grew up with Jews, Muslims, Haitians, Pakistanis, Bengalis,” Hossain said. “I just had to bring everyone together.”

Meanwhile, other Knicks fans rattled off their own spin on the viral fan chant online.

“My mayor Muslim, my bagel Jewish, my Saturday Night Live, Knicks in five,” one fan riffed on the original.

Another person mused: “My mayor Muslim, my bagel Jewish, my cream cheese chive, Knicks in five.”

Even the official New York Knicks account shared their take on the viral chant, writing, “NEW YORK FOREVER, WE DID THIS TOGETHER, THE CITY'S ALIVE, KNICKS IN FIVE.”

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As soon as the confetti hit the ground in San Antonio last night, it was time to look ahead to a new set of NBA Championship odds. 

And while the Spurs fell short in these NBA Finals, the NBA odds board has high hopes for Victor Wembanyama and the rest of this talented young core moving forward, listing San Antonio as a +250 favorite to win in 2027.

It remains a tight field, though, with three more teams listed with odds shorter than 7/1. We break it all down below.

🏆 Opening 2026-27 NBA Championship odds

Team
Spurs	+250
Thunder	+260
Celtics	+550
Knicks	+650
Pacers	+2800
Nuggets	+2800
Cavaliers	+3000
Pistons	+3000
Lakers	+3000
Timberwolves	+3000
Heat	+4000
Warriors	+4500

Odds updated as of 6-14, courtesy of bet365, one of our best betting sites. Sign up with our bet365 promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

📈 2026-27 NBA Championship favorites

San Antonio Spurs (+250)

Despite falling flat in this year's NBA Finals, it's easy to see that the San Antonio Spurs' best days are ahead of them.

The young core of Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle will surely improve, and the team has now gotten a glimpse of what is needed to win at the highest level. As +250 solo favorites, they won't be sneaking up on anyone this year.

Oklahoma City Thunder (+260)

Injuries to key contributors made the Oklahoma City Thunder's title defense much harder than it would have appeared during the season, and yet OKC managed to go up 2-1 and 3-2 over the Spurs before flaming out in the Western Conference Finals.

The core of back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren remains, and if J-Dub can get back to playing regularly, this team will flirt with 70 wins for a third straight regular season and be a threat to hoist the Larry O'Brien for a second time.

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Boston Celtics (+550)

Jayson Tatum's late return from injury in time for a title run last season proved to be fool's gold, as the Boston Celtics blew a 3-1 lead to the 76ers in Round 1.

But with Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumours starting to swirl, not much has to happen for Boston to regain title contender status.

New York Knicks (+650)

Some may see the New York Knicks listed fourth and see that as disrespectful to the champs, but for as beloved as this team became over the last two months, the comeback magic can't be sustainable.

They were down double-digits in four of five Finals games, and a more experienced opponent would have been able to withstand New York's comeback runs, but if we've learned anything, it's that anything is possible when Jalen Brunson is on your side.

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It’s over. Officially, it’s over. The season ended 48 days ago for the Phoenix Suns, but now the league itself has reached the finish line as the NBA Finals have concluded.

So what does that mean? It means the transaction season can truly begin. It means conversations can turn into negotiations, negotiations can turn into agreements, and front offices around the league can begin executing their plans for the 2026-27 season.

The first important date is June 29, the deadline for all team and player option decisions. The Suns have two players with team options, although Ryan Dunn’s option was exercised last October. That leaves Jamaree Bouyea, who is set to earn $2.6 million next season if Phoenix picks up his option. Should the Suns exercise it, they would still maintain flexibility. Bouyea’s contract remains non-guaranteed until January 10, 2027, when it becomes fully guaranteed. But the decision on whether to pick up the option must be made by June 29.

The next key date is June 30. At 3:00 p.m. Arizona time, teams can begin negotiating with outside free agents. That said, the Suns can already begin having conversations with their own free agents now that the season has officially concluded.

There are four internal free agents worth monitoring.

Jordan Goodwin and Collin Gillespie are both eligible for new deals, with Phoenix holding Early Bird Rights on each player. Amir Coffey enters free agency as an unrestricted free agent with Non-Bird Rights attached. Then there’s Mark Williams, a restricted free agent whose qualifying offer sits at $9.6 million. Phoenix possesses his Bird Rights, giving the organization flexibility in how it approaches negotiations.

Now that the Finals are over and we’re nine days away from the NBA Draft, those internal discussions can begin in earnest. The front office can start moving the ball forward as it prepares for next season.

The assumption is that retaining Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin will be among Phoenix’s top priorities this offseason. Both players became integral parts of the culture and identity the Suns worked to establish last season, and bringing them back would provide another layer of continuity moving forward.

We’ll know soon enough whether common ground can be found and what those contracts ultimately look like. The offseason is officially here. The draft is around the corner. Free agency isn’t far behind. And the Suns can finally begin laying the foundation for what comes next.

Stay tuned to Bright Side of the Sun all offseason long. We’ll be here breaking it all down, offering our opinions, overanalyzing every rumor, and doing what we always do this time of year, trying to figure out how to fix the Phoenix Suns.

Much has been made of where Jalen Brunson ranks in the pantheon of current NBA stars. References to his status as a “1A” player have been debated constantly over the past several years. 

As the champagne dries and the cigar smoke clears in the road locker room in San Antonio on Sunday, Brunson has proven the doubters wrong. A 45-point masterpiece in the championship clincher was the end of a marvelous 16-3 playoff run for Brunson. The former second-round pick won NBA Finals MVP after leading the New York Knicks to a 4-1 NBA Finals win against the San Antonio Spurs. This is the franchise’s first championship in 53 years.

Since his arrival in the 2022 offseason, Brunson has reinvigorated the Knicks. His original four-year, $104 million contract was thought to be an overpay. It’s been everything but that.

From 2001 to 2022, New York won exactly one playoff series. It only took Brunson two years to eclipse that mark. New York’s 2023 run was where the possibilities of a championship team began. The Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round but fell to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat in six games.

Hidden behind that painful loss was Brunson’s elite performance. The guard averaged 31.0 points on 50.4 percent from the field and 6.3 assists against a frenetic Heat defense that threw zones, blitzes, and traps Brunson’s way. However, it wasn’t enough. Brunson had 41 points in the last game, but Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, New York’s second and third scoring options respectively, struggled in the series closer, shooting a combined 4-for-24 from the field.

The right group

It was that point where the Knicks front office, led by Leon Rose, knew it had a special player. But the club had to figure out how to find the right mix of defense, perimeter shooting and secondary offensive creation around Brunson. 

Soon came big bets from New York. Early in the following season, the Knicks dealt homegrown first-round picks Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby. Then came the 2024 offseason acquisitions of Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets and Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Knicks went all-in with these moves, famously handing over five first round picks for Bridges and dealing key cogs Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round pick, to land Towns.

Adding Anunoby and Bridges gave New York two very good corner three-point shooters, who, along with Josh Hart, created a three-headed monster of wings capable of guarding multiple positions. Towns was the second offensive option, a center who could create his own offense, but could also space the floor and create space for Brunson to operate.

After a loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025, the final tweak came at head coach with the firing of Tom Thibodeau and the subsequent hiring of Mike Brown. 

All of these moves have come with the intention of maximizing the Brunson window. New York also hit on smaller deals like adding Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet over the last couple of years. They all paid off throughout this playoff run. 

Offensive engine

Brunson is an offense unto himself, which leads to teams bending their defense to stop him. During this postseason, he averaged 1.09 points per possession in isolation according to NBA Stats, the second-highest number for any player that averaged at least 3.0 isolation possessions.

In these NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs tried everything to slow down the All-Star point guard. Much like that Miami team from a few years ago, there were full-court presses, traps and double teams. There was also 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama lurking by the basket on nearly every possession.

But this time, the teammates New York added around Brunson over the past couple of years were able to take advantage of the extended Spurs defense. Those same double teams created hockey assist opportunities. Shooters like Anunoby, Bridges and Landry Shamet all thrived from that. Anunoby’s game-winning tip-in in Game Four came off Brunson shooting as a double-team approached from the Spurs’ Wembayama and De’Aaron Fox.

Brunson and the Knicks’ relationship has been built on trust. The Knicks have done everything to build a contender that fits around the point guard. And Brunson has sacrificed, signing a four-year, $156.5 million extension in 2024 instead of waiting for a projected five-year, $269 million deal in 2025, a $113 million difference.

With Brunson on the roster, the Knicks will always have a fighting chance. And the belief in the guard will make the team do whatever it takes to compete for more titles going forward.