Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) dribbles the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
It’s been roughly three months since the New York Knicks became champions of the basketball world. For the first time in 53 years, and after long stretches of misery, the franchise finally reached the pinnacle of success, but the journey was not easy.
In fact, throughout the playoffs, the Knicks found themselves down big on several occasions, only to mount amazing comebacks that defined their run. Recently, Knicks swingman Mikal Bridges spoke about the comebacks and the conditions that made it possible to survive overwhelming odds.
“The Cavs series, that Game 1, being down 22 in the 4th. Last year in the playoffs, being down a lot,” said Bridges in a chat with Men’s Health. “We had opportunities where we had been in the same situations and succeeded. It’s having that faith of being here before. Obviously, it’s different being in the Finals than any other playoff series, but it’s still just another game. It’s just having that belief and taking it one possession at a time; we’ve been here before, we’ve done it before. Ain’t gonna get it back in one possession, still a lot of time left. A lot of us have been in the league for a long time, and we know in this day and age, with the fast pace and a lot of threes, that even down 27 points at halftime, you still have a lot of time. And being at home, having the crowd behind your back, it’s gonna put pressure on them.”
The Knicks went 53-29 in the 2025-26 season, and most critics had them a tier below the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Pistons in the East. In the playoffs, however, the Knicks dominated the field, going 16-3 in an impressive performance. Along the way, they faced fierce resistance, overcoming a 22-point deficit in the opening game against the Cavaliers.
Their unlikeliest win, however, was in the Finals. In Game 4 of the series, the Knicks went down by as much as 29 points, but somehow came back and won (107-106) off a buzzer-beater from OG Anunoby. It seemed impossible at the time, but the Knicks always felt that victory was within reach.
“Just taking it one possession at a time,” Bridges said. “It’s just understanding like, ‘Okay, if we could be down 20 with 10 minutes left and have a chance, being down 27 with 24 minutes, we definitely have a chance.’ Mentally, it’s just being that boxer and knowing, like, if I were a guy who’s been in a lot of fights, I know what it feels like at that 12-round mark.”
Between the Knicks’ talent, depth, and coaching, it’s not too surprising that they’re a hard team to put away. Jalen Brunson alone is enough to keep them in any game, but they also recognize the importance of mid-game adjustments and using the half-time break to get everyone on the same page.
“Halftime is a good thing because you’re in the moment and the game’s going by fast. It can be some miscues offensively or maybe on defense they’ve done something different because it’s Game 3 at this point, so maybe they changed something up,” Bridges added. “Whatever game plan we had, now we have to switch it up a little bit. Also, just having that time to relax and catch your breath to lock in and take it to another level… this is your time to take a breather and understand what you need to do better, and just leave it out. It’s the Finals, people don’t get here more than once.”
It was an unlikely path to victory for the Knicks, but nobody can deny they earned their title. Despite their impressive record, the Knicks were challenged every step of the way, and it took a cohesive, focused effort to come out on top over very capable teams. Not everybody could have done it the way these Knicks did, but their ambitions are not yet satisfied.
With mostly the same roster, the Knicks are effectively running it back, and we can expect them to be better than they’ve ever been. After being battle-tested and gaining that invaluable championship experience, the Knicks know exactly what it takes to win, and they know how to answer when their backs are against the wall.