The New York Knicks were the victims of an apparent hotel prank the night before their Game 6 elimination loss to the Indiana Pacers. New York had an epic run this postseason, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Jalen Brunson was once again the centerpiece behind the franchise's success these playoffs and moved into some exclusive company of his own. That being said, it was a disappointing last game of the season.
The Knicks, who in their recent playoff past always went down kicking and screaming in their elimination games, looked like they were playing the Indiana Pacers for the first time on Saturday. The backcourt struggled to handle the ball against an aggressive Indiana defense, while the team continuously gave up transition points, even off of makes. Acclaimed basketball analyst Zach Lowe might have given an explanation why New York looked sluggish at times in Game 6 in an interview with Knicks' insider Ian Begley.
“Apparently the night before Game 6 in Indiana the fire alarm went off at the Knicks hotel…I checked with a couple agents who checked with their players who confirmed…I think 1245-1am, lot of players probably still awake”
–– Zach Lowe pic.twitter.com/gtxy0LPifE
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 2, 2025
Expand Tweet
Regardless of who or what is to blame for the loss, the Knicks are entering their most important offseason of the century
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) passes the ball against the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter during game six of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
New York made aggressive moves to trade for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns last offseason, hoping to take that good-to-great jump. And after two second-round exits, the franchise took another step up the ladder. Still, when evaluating the 2024-25 season, it's fair to have a few takeaways about this team.
Article Continues Below
One, this roster should be praised for beating the defending champion Boston Celtics, when almost all pundits and the public thought they wouldn't, and being two wins away from the Conference Finals. But also this year's Knicks also blew a massive opportunity to get the franchise back to the NBA Finals, and there are fair questions about if the current roster can win an NBA championship.
Knicks fans know it well; this team was weird. From the starters being a net negative since January to Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns struggling together on the floor to the sudden changes in Tom Thibodeau's rotations during the Pacers' series, the Knicks were basically the most dysfunctional, functional team this season.
The team was very good and full of selfless, good-hearted players, but there were times when the chemistry was almost nonexistent. That is despite the starting unit getting more minutes than any other unit in the NBA during the regular season. Perhaps another year will tie this group closer and take it to the next level. The Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers are excellent case studies for that path. Or maybe there should be a change to a roster that, in particular, needs to address the defensive issues around the duo of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson.
Overall, this franchise is in a healthy place. Being in a realistic championship-or-bust mode means that the Knicks should be proud of how much they've grown ever since Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau took over. The question is how this group can raise its ceiling so that a fire alarm or a miracle Game 1 comeback does not cost them the season. There's a chance the Oklahoma City Thunder blow out the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals. Should that happen, the front office will have to take a hard look in the mirror and push all the right buttons to give the Knicks a legit shot to break their 50+ year championship drought.