The New York Knicks have officially taken over as the favorites to win the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Playoffs—a dramatic turnaround from just a week ago when their season seemed to be slipping away.

After falling behind 2-1 in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks looked to be in real trouble. But they responded in spectacular fashion, winning three straight games to close out the series in six. The exclamation point came in Game 6, a historic 140-89 blowout that sent a clear message to the rest of the conference: this team is for real.

Now, with Round 2 on the horizon, New York sits atop the Eastern Conference odds board at +150, ahead of the Detroit Pistons (+250), Cleveland Cavaliers (+325), and Philadelphia 76ers (+600). The shift in the betting landscape comes largely because the Boston Celtics—the preseason favorite and highest-rated team in the East—were stunned in a seven-game series by the 76ers after holding a 3-1 lead.

That collapse changes everything for the Knicks. Instead of facing the Celtics in the second round, they'll take on the 76ers—a matchup where they enter as heavy -250 favorites. It's a golden opportunity for a franchise that hasn't reached the NBA Finals since 1999, when they fell to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.

In the other Eastern Conference semifinal, top-seeded Detroit is a slight -120 favorite against the fourth-seeded Cavaliers. Both teams earned their spots the hard way, winning Game 7s on Sunday. The Pistons, in particular, showed resilience by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against the Orlando Magic.

The Knicks will open their second-round series at home on Monday night as 7.5-point favorites against the 76ers. For a team that looked like it might be heading for an early exit just days ago, the path to the Finals has never looked clearer. And for Knicks fans—and anyone who loves a good underdog story—this is the kind of playoff run that makes you want to gear up and get loud.