Jalen Brunson holds the Knicks Finals MVP trophy
Jalen Brunson holds the Knicks Finals MVP trophy
The NBA’s full 2026-27 schedule is expected next week, which means the Knicks are about to get the first real date on their title defense. Somebody will be standing across from that championship banner. Somebody will be trying to turn the whole night into a statement.
Winning the whole thing brings that treatment. The Knicks are no longer the team everyone roots for from a distance. They are the team opponents circle, the team television partners want on the biggest nights, the team every contender wants to measure itself against.
Jalen Brunson scored 45 points in the title clincher and averaged 32.6 in the Finals. He is also coming off left wrist surgery, with the expectation that he will be back on the floor for the title defense. The banner will go up, but the actual work starts when the ball is tossed.
The opponent has not been announced. I would not waste time guessing it. The more interesting part is the mood around that first game. A contender walking into Madison Square Garden gets a chance to spoil the party, and the Knicks get a chance to show that June was not the finish line.
Knicks champions stand with their trophies at City Hall
Knicks champions stand with their trophies at City Hall. Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect.
The Knicks will not get a quiet opening night
The league loves a stage, and New York just gave it the loudest possible one. Every game will not feel like a Finals game, but the opener is going to carry an extra level of attention whether the Knicks ask for it or not.
Good. Champions should have to wear the target. The banner is supposed to make the building heavier. It should also make the players eager to get back on the floor and remind the rest of the league why it is there.