The New York Knicks are a storied franchise and the heart and soul of New York basketball. Although they rarely find success, Knick fans have stayed faithful, and their commitment is finally paying off. For the first time in over twenty-five years, the Knicks are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals. “It’s very exciting to see the Knicks find success since I’ve been waiting for them to be good my whole life,”  Hercules Stewert ’25

Last year, during the 2023-2024 season, the Knicks fell just short of the conference finals, losing to the Pacers in the second round. This year, they were able to get over that hump, however the journey wasn’t easy. They finished the regular season with a 51-31 record, which solidified them as the third seed going into the playoffs. Their first series was against Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons, where the Knicks took game one by a score of 123-112. After losing game two 100-94, the Knicks were able to bounce back and win games three and four. After losing game five, the Knicks were able to take game six and guarantee themselves a ticket to the second round against last year’s champions, the Boston Celtics. 

Although they were the second seed, the Celtics were still arguably the best team in the playoffs with a fantastic roster and a great coach. Led by stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics finished the regular season 61-41 and were hungry for their second straight championship. The Series started out hot for the Knicks, taking an early 2-0 lead with two comeback wins. After losing the third game 115-94, the Knicks were headed into their most important game in over two decades. With the series at 2-1, the Knicks were facing a must-win game in the Garden. If the Knicks won, they would go  up 3-1 and almost solidify themselves a spot in the Eastern Conference finals. If they lost, the Celtics would tie the series 2-2 and go back to Boston with all the confidence in the world. The Knicks were able to hustle their way to a 121-113 win, which gave them the upper hand in the series.  Following a 119-81 win in game 6, Knicks fans finally got what they had been hoping for. Not only did they finally make it to the Eastern Conference finals, but they did it by beating one of their biggest rivals and finishing off the series at home in the Garden. 

Although advancing to the conference finals is a great accomplishment, there is still a lot more work to be done.  The Knicks  faced Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers on May 31st and lost 108 to 125 . “I’m very happy with how the playoffs have gone so far for the Knicks, but I know the job’s not finished and there’s a long road ahead of us,” said Hudson Gershon ‘26.