Updated

Updated · CBS Sports · May 26

Jalen Brunson Lifts Knicks to 1st NBA Finals in 26 Years, 4 Wins From Ending 53-Year Drought

Updated

Updated · CBS Sports · May 26

Jalen Brunson Lifts Knicks to 1st NBA Finals in 26 Years, 4 Wins From Ending 53-Year Drought

7 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · May 26

Four wins now separate Jalen Brunson and the Knicks from their first NBA title since 1973 after New York reached its first Finals since 1999.
Brunson was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP after the Knicks swept Cleveland, capping a four-year rise that has taken New York from second-round exits to the league's biggest stage.
53 wins in 2025-26 marked another step in that climb, and Brunson's reduced shot volume and time of possession helped the deeper roster around him reach new postseason heights.
A championship would carry unusual weight for a franchise defined by a 53-year drought and repeated failed superstar pursuits, potentially elevating Brunson above Knicks icons such as Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing.
Either Oklahoma City or San Antonio awaits in the Finals, meaning Brunson likely must beat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Victor Wembanyama to complete the run.

Can one of the NBA's smaller guards conquer giants and end a 53-year curse to become New York's greatest basketball legend?

Was firing a successful coach the secret move that propelled the Knicks to their first NBA Finals in 27 years?

Is Jalen Brunson's $113M pay cut the new blueprint for building a title contender without high lottery picks?