The New York Knicks have flipped a switch, and suddenly the NBA is drawing parallels to the greatest team ever assembled. After a shaky start to the playoffs, the Knicks have rattled off 11 consecutive victories, steamrolling every opponent in their path. Their average margin of victory during this run? A jaw-dropping 23.9 points. That kind of dominance has statistician Nate Silver invoking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, the team that went 72-10 and won the title behind Michael Jordan.
“Not sure there’s a great precedent for this Knicks playoff run?” Silver wrote on social media. “With young teams, sort of. But a veteran team just waking up one day and playing like the ’96 Bulls for 11 games and running?”
The Knicks’ journey to the NBA Finals wasn’t always this smooth. They trailed the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 in the first round before catching fire. Since then, they’ve swept the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, capping the series with a 130-93 rout on Monday night. It’s New York’s first Finals appearance since 1999, and the city is buzzing. In fact, Mayor Mamdani has unleashed city-wide watch parties to celebrate the run.
What makes this run so special is the statistical dominance. The Knicks outscored the Cavaliers by 77 points in the conference finals, surpassing the 1996 Bulls for the largest point differential in a conference finals sweep. Overall, New York enters the Finals with a +217 point differential, the highest in postseason history, eclipsing the 2017 Golden State Warriors. The Knicks have also become just the fifth team to win 11 or more consecutive playoff games, and they’re one win away from tying the San Antonio Spurs for second all-time.
The Knicks have also made history in how they’ve closed out series. According to NBA on ESPN, they’re the first team to finish three postseason series with a victory of 20-plus points. In fact, each series-clinching win has been by at least 30 points, a level of dominance that has fans and analysts alike scratching their heads.
But history won’t remember this team as fondly as the ’96 Bulls if they don’t win the title. The Knicks will face either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals, beginning Wednesday, June 3. The pressure is on, but the Knicks have shown they can handle it. For now, the comparisons to Chicago’s dynasty are impossible to ignore. As the team prepares for the next challenge, the city of New York is already celebrating. Ali Brunson’s heartfelt message after the Finals berth captured the emotion of a fanbase that has waited decades for this moment.
The Knicks’ run has also sparked debate about the quality of their competition. Critics point to the Cavaliers’ struggles, but New York’s dominance speaks for itself. James Harden stunned the NBA by claiming the Cavs were still the better team after the sweep, but the scoreboard tells a different story. Meanwhile, the Inside the NBA crew got free rein to run wild during the conference finals, adding to the spectacle.
The Knicks have already etched their name in the record books. Now, they have a chance to write the final chapter. If they finish the job, the comparisons to the 1996 Bulls will feel more than justified.
