The New York Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the Eastern Conference and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Just how excited are Knicks fans and the city of New York? Let’s allow Alex Monaco of MSG Network to explain.
The Knicks blew out the Cavs in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Finals series in Cleveland by an incredible 130-93 scoreline. It was their second consecutive sweep after easily dispatching the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semifinals. They have won 11 consecutive playoff games after falling behind 2-1 in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks.
Monaco was at a watch party in New York with thousands of jubilant Knicks fans who were watching their beloved team accomplish their first NBA Finals appearance in a generation. And as you can tell from the video below, both he and they were delirious with excitement.
Checking in on New York pic.twitter.com/EPYWOhLAsN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 26, 2026
If this is the reaction when the Knicks just make the NBA Finals can you imagine what might happen if they actually win the championship? They may have to carry Alex Monaco out on a stretcher! Even though the Knicks would be underdogs against whoever survives the Western Conference Finals series between the Spurs and Thunder, they will have a huge rest advantage with that series guaranteed to go at least six games.
It’s been so long since we have seen the Knicks be this good and this relevant that it will be fascinating to watch not just the local reaction in the biggest city in the country, but how much the rest of America gets on board with the storyline. Already, NBA ratings have been incredible this postseason, especially with more games than ever on network television. And ESPN is certainly celebrating having the biggest market and maybe the biggest sleeping giant in American sports back on the biggest stage of them all.
About Matt Yoder