The Knicks are going to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. They've won 11 straight games in these playoffs, the longest such streak in league history.
The team finished the regular season with the best overall record and carried that momentum into the postseason. Their point differential during the winning stretch set a new NBA record for any playoff run.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The wait before the Finals
Before the Western Conference Finals were settled, New York had a lengthy break. Head coach Mike Brown was predictably asked which opponent he'd prefer to face. His answer was predictable too—except for one personal detail he offered as a caveat.
The extended rest appears to have agreed with them. When the Knicks take the court Wednesday, they'll carry the best offensive and defensive ratings in the entire postseason.
Finding the fun in the work
"Building championship habits, it's very boring and it's very meticulous," Josh Hart explained. That honesty might explain why Hart in particular keeps the mood light.
After a Game 2 win in the Eastern Conference Finals, Hart_multitasked by bringing his postgame pizza to the press conference. Karl-Anthony Towns' reaction to that moment was essentially the same reaction everyone else has when Hart decides to answer questions his own way. Watch KAT pull off his shades during an interview about analytics and you'll see what teammates mean when they call Hart the team jester.
It turns out the basketball is good enough that the jokes land even harder.
A bond beyond the court
"Mikal Bridges, Hart and I share a bond and a brotherhood," Jalen Brunson said after clinching the Finals berth. Three players who met in college are now four wins away from an NBA championship together.
The bromance translates to on-court chemistry. When Hart rolled an ankle during the Cleveland series, Brunson's medical advice was straightforward: walk it off. After Hart dropped 26 points and knocked down five threes in a win over the Cavaliers, Brunson's response was teasing rather than celebrating.
They're genuinely having fun. That's evident in almost every media appearance. Brown mentioned getting tight with Fat Joe and that his wife quite literally freaked out about seeing Ben Stiller. OG Anunoby, in his unhurried way, simply rolled his eyes when asked about his name by Charles Barkley.
The league office has to be pleased. This Finals has star power, storylines, and a Knicks roster that happens to be remarkably easy to root for—whether you've cheered for them for decades or just discovered them this spring.