Which NBA Teams Are Rooting for and Against a Knicks Title?

Looking at who could be in the Knicks' corner to win the title. | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

The Knicks very well could be basketball's next champion after taking a 3-1 NBA Finals lead Wednesday night. For New York, a title would represent the ultimate payoff of the front office's calculated and aggressive roster-building over the last few years.

But for the rest of the league, a Knicks ring carries different meanings, depending on who you might ask. As a result, a few franchises stand out as either in favor of a New York Finals win or against it.

Potential supporters of a Knicks Finals win

Hawks

Starting with the Hawks, it'd be a feather in their cap if they end up being the Knicks' second-toughest challenge of their championship run. Even more, they're the team that caused New York to dig deep after going up 2-1 on them, which kicked off a historic 13-game playoff win streak immediately after.

This leaves a good impression about their ascending roster and coach Quin Snyder, who was rewarded with a contract extension this offseason. Giving the eventual champions a real run for their money is a confidence boost for rising stars Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to use to be even better next season.

Pistons and Celtics

Despite the Pistons and Celtics making up the rest of the East's top contenders, a Knicks title likely does them more good than harm.

Sure, it'll be a hit to their ego for one of their rivals to take home the 'ship. But they can also sleep soundly at night knowing they didn't get a chance to face them in these playoffs.

A legitimate benefit for these teams if New York wins is that the Knicks keep their core together rather than exploring a huge shakeup. This is important since both Detroit and Boston have the pieces, allure and reason to pull off a blockbuster trade for a star this summer.

New York would be right alongside them should it collapse in the Finals. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the obvious target given his interest in the Big Apple, but assuming the Knicks finish the job, they will drop out of the running. That clears the way for the Celtics or Pistons to acquire him in hopes of knocking Jalen Brunson and co. off in 2026-27.

The Pistons and Celtics' Giannis Antetokounmpo dreams will be more achievable if the Knicks win the NBA Finals, giving them every reason to cheer the latter on. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Timberwolves

There is a lot of love for Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota despite his exit from the Timberwolves. It'd also be a reflection of the franchise helping produce another championship-winning talent, which isn't a bad consolation.

There's also the revenge side of things, with KAT hopefully knocking out Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs after they beat Minnesota earlier this postseason. A San Antonio loss only makes them feel less invincible, too, providing reason for Wolves optimism in next year's Western Conference race.

Teams potentially hoping Knicks ultimately lose Finals

Cavaliers and 76ers

On the other end of the spectrum, the Cavaliers and 76ers likely prefer to see New York fall, especially with a 3-1 series lead. A collapse like that would not only leave a mark, but it'd also put a more seismic roster change on the table.

Donovan Mitchell's Cavaliers (as well as the 76ers) would love nothing more than to see the Knicks collapse. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Considering the Cavaliers and 76ers were swept by the current Knicks lineup, which has answers for each team's top players, a Big Apple shakeup has more potential to help than hurt them. Introducing a new star like Antetokounmpo comes with its own possible drawbacks, so that could result in New York's future title chances dropping, rather than improving.

Bucks

Speaking of Antetokounmpo, his preference to play for New York is already well-known. But the front office has resisted that temptation to this point, which has played a role in his still being in Milwaukee.

All of that would change if the Knicks lose the NBA Finals. They'd then be thrown right back into the Giannis sweepstakes, and the Bucks would be looking at a haul that potentially includes three picks in this year's draft to aid their rebuild. That's not even to mention getting a talent like Towns as their new star.

Thunder, Lakers, Nuggets, Rockets

Meanwhile, the top contenders in the West have reason to pray for New York's downfall. This stems from the repercussions for the Spurs should they lose. After all, San Antonio was anointed the champs before this series even began and was viewed as heavy favorites.

Instead, the Spurs' backs are suddenly against the wall as they stare at the possibility of winning just a single game with a title on the line.

If they do fall, no matter how, Wembanyama and co. will be aggressive to atone for letting a championship opportunity slip through their fingers. That means targeting upgrades via free agency or trade, and they're going to be a mighty attractive destination for any veteran in search of a ring—especially those who'd take a discount to do so.

That only puts extra pressure on the top teams in their conference, who may have less flexibility to execute big deals or would prefer not to take huge risks. With a generational talent in Wemby, San Antonio can do so with ease. This makes a title lulling the Spurs into a little bit of complacency the preferred outcome for this group.

Kings

Unexpectedly, the Kings have both personal and basketball reasons to root against a Knicks title.

First and foremost, the franchise is already drawing criticism for firing now-New York head coach Mike Brown at his most recent stop before the Big Apple. In fact, Sacramento pulled the plug just 31 games into the 2024-25 campaign, seen as an ill-mannered move that didn't give a veteran like Brown the benefit of the doubt.

This came after Brown led the Kings to break their NBA record 16-season playoff drought in his first year on the job, and had followed that up with another winning record the next campaign—the only seasons Sacramento has gone above .500 since 2005-06.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown deserved better than how the Kings treated him at the end of his time in Sacramento. | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

There's no upside to the Kings watching a coach they could still have on their sidelines captain another team to the championship, especially since there isn't an emotional bond like the one Towns and the Wolves still share.

Additionally, Sacramento is rumored to have its eyes on Knicks center Mitchell Robinson as he prepares for unrestricted free agency. However, New York winning the title could make it more inclined to bring back Robinson, despite the financial ramifications, given the role he's played this season.

So if the Kings really believe in him as a positive addition, they'll want to see Robinson's current team fall.