The year was 1973. Richard Nixon was in the White House. The Vietnam War was still raging. And the New York Knicks — led by Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, and Dave DeBusschere — won the NBA championship. That was the last time New York stood atop the basketball world. Fifty-three years ago.
Now, in 2026, that drought is on the verge of ending. The Knicks lead the San Antonio Spurs 1-0 in the NBA Finals after a dramatic Game 1 comeback, and an entire city — an entire generation of fans — is holding its breath.
The Long Road: Heartbreak After Heartbreak
The Knicks came close in 1994, falling to the Houston Rockets in seven games in one of the most contested Finals in league history. They returned to the Finals in 1999 — as a No. 8 seed, no less — only to run into the San Antonio Spurs and a young Tim Duncan. San Antonio won in five games. That was 27 years ago. The same opponent. The same building of heartbreak.
In the years since, the Knicks cycled through coaches, superstars, and rebuilding phases. Patrick Ewing never got his ring. Carmelo Anthony’s era produced playoff runs but no Finals. A decade of lottery picks and organizational dysfunction followed. The Garden faithful suffered through it all.
The Brunson Era: Finally, Something Real
The turning point came quietly. Jalen Brunson — a player the Knicks signed to a four-year deal without much fanfare — turned out to be the franchise cornerstone they had been searching for. Add Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride, and suddenly New York had a team. Not just a playoff team — a championship team.
This postseason, the Knicks have been historically dominant. They swept the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers in successive rounds. They entered the Finals with 11 consecutive playoff wins and the largest point differential (+271) in NBA playoff history. This is not a team that snuck into the Finals — this is a team of destiny.
The Legends Are Watching
Patrick Ewing. Larry Johnson. Other Knicks legends from the 1990s glory era have been courtside, and they say this team carries the same edge and hunger that defined their own runs. The city of New York — 8 million people — is leaning in. Madison Square Garden is electric. Broadway is ready for a parade.
Fifty-three years is long enough. The 2026 Knicks have a chance to rewrite history. And after stealing Game 1 on the road, the belief inside that locker room has never been higher.
The drought ends now. Or at least, it gets three wins closer to ending tonight. Game 2, 8:30 PM ET, ABC.