On the recent episode of First Take, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said that he is looking forward to the New York Knicks returning to the NBA Finals. The Knicks have not reached the NBA Finals since the 1999-00 season and are coming off a campaign in which they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Indiana Pacers.
However, due to the injuries that have affected teams like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Pacers, Smith says the Knicks have a golden opportunity to go all the way in the Eastern Conference this season.
“I’m looking forward to my Knicks, my New York Knicks, to capitalize off of the Achilles tear to Jayson Tatum, the Achilles tear to Damian Lillard that ultimately led him departed from Milwaukee and going back to Portland, the Achilles tear to Tyrese Haliburton in Indy, the New York Knicks are going to the NBA Finals. That is what I am looking forward to. It happened by default, but damn it, the opportunity is there,” said Smith.
Only two teams can challenge the Knicks
The Celtics, Bucks, and especially the Pacers were expected to play a significant role in the 2025-26 Eastern Conference race. However, after each team lost one superstar to an Achilles injury during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, none of them are among the Top 5 betting favorites to win the East next season.
“Cleveland and Detroit are recognized. Detroit is coming. The Cavaliers they went to bed last year, I think they’ll try to make up for it this year. Donovan Mitchell’s my boy. I love him as a brother big time. But the opportunity is there to go to the NBA Finals. I am picking the New York Knicks to represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals. The Finals will be here in the Big Apple. It’s a failure if they don’t go to the Finals,” Stephen A. added.
Spike sees the Knicks winning it all
However, while Stephen A. picked the Knicks to win the East, his fellow New York diehard, Spike Lee, believes that the franchise’s 52-year championship drought is coming to an end next season. Aside from the injury woes of their rivals, Spike said that the hiring of Mike Brown as the new head coach and their offseason acquisitions have made the Knicks title-worthy.
“I don’t want nobody get hurt. Nobody,” Lee told Tyrese Haliburton on “The Young Man and the Three” podcast recently. “But this is our year. Indiana, Boston sucks. I’m not saying it’s going to be a cakewalk, but yourself and brother Tatum are key parts, and now look, I’m not hating on Thibs, I got a lot of love for him. But now we got Mike Brown. We’re 12, you see our bench? Our bench is crazy.”
Depth was New York’s main issue last season, but with the additions of Jordan Clarkson, Malcolm Brogdon, and Guerschon Yabusele, the Knicks now have the depth to match the best teams in the league. With the core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and OG Anunoby coming back, the Knicks do have a golden opportunity next season. Let’s see if they can capitalize.
