The New York Knicks handled business quickly against the Philadelphia 76ers, and now they have a chance to recharge before the Eastern Conference Finals.
New York completed a first-round sweep with a Game 4 win, advancing to the conference finals for the second straight season, per Yahoo. The victory also led to a message from Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony, who already knows where he’ll be if the team takes one more step.
“We win the Eastern Conference Finals, I’m pulling up,” Anthony said on his podcast.
Melo reportedly plans to celebrate outside Madison Square Garden with Knicks fans if New York reaches the NBA Finals.
"We win the Eastern Conference Finals, I'm pulling up."
Melo is gonna be OUTSIDE MSG with the fans if the Knicks advance to the NBA Finals 😂 pic.twitter.com/NITGHDOFE5
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) May 11, 2026
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Knicks Earn Rare Playoff Break
The Knicks now await the winner of the series between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers. Detroit currently leads the matchup 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Monday.
Depending on how long the series lasts, New York could receive nearly a full week off before the Eastern Conference Finals begin. If the matchup reaches seven games, the conference finals would start May 19. If the series ends sooner, the Knicks could return to the court as early as Sunday.
That kind of break rarely happens during the postseason. By sweeping Philadelphia early, New York gave itself valuable time to recover while fans already dream about what a Finals run could bring to the city.
The New York Knicks handled business quickly against the Philadelphia 76ers, and now they have a chance to recharge before the Eastern Conference Finals. New York completed a first-round sweep with a Game 4 win, advancing to the conference finals for the second straight season, per Yahoo.