9 Best Moments From Knicks' Entire 2026 Playoff Run

It's amazing to think that the playoffs started almost two months ago. That happens when you are so desperately hungry for something that feels so attainable and locked into seeing it come true.

Now that the Knicks have achieved the ultimate goal, we can take a look back and relive some of the best moments from the entire playoff run.

9. Mitchell Robinson's poster over Joel Embiid

Heading into a second round matchup with the 76ers, the Knicks came in hungry. They were coming off of a Hawks series that ended in dominant fashion but started with some subpar play and a lot of question marks.

But one player entered the series with a little extra motivation. Mitchell Robinson, who had his leg pulled down by 76ers star Joel Embiid in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, downplayed the exchange, though the longest-tenured Knick couldn't have forgotten.

After two wins in New York, the Knicks headed to Philadelphia, where a desperate 76ers team were trying to take some control back in the series. The Knicks lead 38-25 with 7:24 left in the second quarter. With two seconds left on the shot clock, Jalen Brunson inbounded the ball from the baseline, and lobbed it up to Robinson. What ensued was one of the most memorable posters in Knicks history.

Robinson caught the ball over Embiid's head and punched home a thunderous dunk with the 76ers' star helplessly putting his hands up above him. The arena, which was packed with plenty of Knicks fans, exploded with cheers, and the Knicks would go on to win to take definitive control of the series.

It may not have been the most important play of a game or a series. But given Robinson's history with Embiid, it was a play Knicks fans will remember for a long time.

8. Mother's Day massacre in Philadelphia

Just days after that play, the Knicks put on a historic shooting performance. With the 76ers playing for their season, the eventual champions sent a clear message that their dominant closeout victory over the Hawks was no fluke.

Even without starting forward OG Anunoby New York started the game on fire from three. Deuce McBride, who started in place of Anunoby, went 4-of-4 from three in the first period. And before the 76ers could even settle in, the score was 20-6. The Knicks never looked back, and went on to beat the 76ers 144-114 while tying an NBA postseason record with 25 three-pointer in the process.

7. Landry Shamet historic three-point barrage in the Conference Finals

For a team to win a championship, you need all hands on deck. Not only do your star players have to play like stars, but role players have to step up, and bench players have to rise to the occasion.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, it was Landry Shamet's turn. What made his incredible performance against the Cavaliers so memorable, though, was the fact that his road to becoming a key conitbutor was far from easy.

Shamet started his Knicks tenure by playing incredibly well in the preseason. But before the season even began, he dislocated his shoulder. After turning down surgery and going through a grueling rehab process, he came back.

But out of form, and playing for the starter-reliant Tom Thibodeau, Shamet didn't get much of an opportunity to play consistent meaningful minutes. Shamet returned to the Knicks again this season, but barely made the team after beating out Malcolm Brogdon, who retired, and Garrison Matthews.

Shamet once again injured the same shoulder in November but as he had done in 2024, he battled back. The veteran guard went through multiple stints of playing less minutes, even in the postseason. Yet in Game 1 of the conference finals, the reserve guard came up in a big way.

After the Cavaliers' ghost coverage on Josh Hart slowed down the Knicks' offense, Mike Brown called on Shamet, who hit multiple threes to help lead the Knicks back from a 22-point deficit (more on that later). Shamet would go on to finish the series going 11-12 from three setting a record for the highest three-point percentage by a player on 10 or more attempts.

6. Karl-Anthony Towns' series-changing triple-double

After two head-scratching losses to the lower-seeded Hawks, the Knicks needed to win Game 4. A loss would mean falling behind 3-1 in the series and being on the brink of a disappointing first round exit likely resulting in big trades.

Brown's solution to what was a stagnant and struggling offense was to use Brunson as an off-ball decoy, and run the offense through Karl-Anthony Towns. And the big man responded in a major way.

He played the part perfectly, balancing aggressive drives, three-point shooting, and masterful passing to backdoor cutters. The big man recorded his first-ever postseason triple-double, scoring 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists while only turning the ball over twice.

This wasn't just a big win for the team. It was concrete proof that Towns was capable of being the hub of a championship-winning offense, and that this team could win in multiple ways.

5. Closeout dominance vs. the Hawks

In what would end up being the first of many closeout games, the Knicks headed down south to take on a Hawks team that many expected would put up a fight. The Hawks started the game strong, going up 11-9 at the 8:11 mark. But nobody expected what followed.

New York went on an unbelievable 43-6 run from the first quarter to the second quarter, and a massive 72-25 run to close out the half overall.

Fans, analysts, and even the players looked stunned as they walked into halftime with a 83-31 lead. And somehow, the Knicks extended the lead even more in the second half. When it was all said and done, the Knicks had dismantled the Hawks 140-89 and let the league know that they had turned the page.

4. Brunson's relentless attack of James Harden leads 22-point comeback

In the Knicks' aforementioned Game 1 comeback against the Cavaliers, there were a lot of talking points. But you cannot talk about that game without mentioning Brunson and James Harden. The final quarter of the memorable comeback was a masterclass in an offensive player consistently attacking a defensive player over and over again.

Regardless of who the Cavaliers had defending Brunson to start the possession, the Knicks point guard methodically sought out Harden, and it resulted in a basket almost every single time. New York made Harden defend nine separate isolations in the fourth quarter and overtime, and averaged 1.9 points per possession on those plays.

Brunson finished the game with 38 points, 15 of which came in the fourth quarter. In what we thought at the time would be the craziest comeback of the postseason, Brunson and the Knicks gave fans the memory of a lifetime and hope that this may be a team of destiny.

3. Jalen Brunson's Game 1 heroics

Brunson has had so many clutch baskets that Knicks fans have at times taken them for granted. He's joined the likes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on postseason lists that are reserved for the elites of the elites.

With a crucial Game 1 of the Finals coming down to the wire, Knicks fans held their breath. Their star point guard hadn't had a great shooting game, but was stringing together some big baskets in the fourth quarter. The Spurs' Devin Vassell was left with the difficult task of defending Brunson on an island with about 40 seconds left in the game. And he learned the hard way, that doesn't usually end up well.

Vassell defended Brunson well but it didn't matter. Brunson went through his bag of tricks, mixing in crossovers, a spin move, and a head fake before ultimately taking on a bump and connecting on a tough fadeaway going to his right. The big basket gave the Knicks a six-point lead and the rest is history.

2. OG Anunoby's game-winning tip-in

While Game 5 against the Spurs was the final contest, Game 4 is likely the one that ultimately won them the championship. After an absurdly hot shooting start from the Spurs and a poor offensive half from the Knicks, New York found themselves in a deep 29-point hole.

In the third quarter, they started to show signs of life by slowly chipping away at the once seemingly insurmountable lead. As their offense started to click, the Spurs' started to sputter. And when the lead shrunk to under 20, you could feel the momentum start to shift.

The Knicks, led by Brunson and Anunoby mounted a furious comeback to pull within one before the former turned the ball over. Anunoby then saved the day not once, but twice.

Just seconds after blocking De'Aaron Fox's layup attempt, he came through with a go ahead tip-in that will undoubtedly go down as one of the most memorable plays in NBA history. Without this bucket, who knows where the Knicks find themselves right now.

1. Brunson's storybook takeover to win it all

While there is no singular play or moment bigger or more important the Anunoby's late-game put back, it's hard to beat out what Brunson did in Game 5. Because nobody could have scripted it any better.

Not the fans. Not Ben Stiller. And probably, not even Brunson himself. Coming into a potential championship-winning game on the road, people questioned Brunson's Finals MVP candidacy, while also wondering if the Knicks could really close out a hungry Spurs team on the road.

The captain answered all of those questions and much more. Despite another questionably officiated game, he scored 45 of the Knicks' 94 points while going right at the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. It was a scoring masterpiece that we rarely see. And he did it on the biggest stage with the brightest lights and highest stakes.

It couldn't have and shouldn't have ended any other way. The best player on the court went out and grabbed from the Spurs what was rightfully his and New York's. And we'll be talking about that performance for decades to come.

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