The New York Knicks are on an absolute tear, and the rest of the Eastern Conference should be taking notice. After a dominant sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, the Knicks have now rattled off seven straight playoff victories—a streak that has them sitting pretty as they await their Eastern Conference Finals opponent.
It all started with a first-round comeback against the Atlanta Hawks, where New York found itself down 2-1 before flipping a switch. Since then, they've been nothing short of unstoppable. In those seven wins, the Knicks have posted an eye-popping 130.5 points per 100 possessions while holding opponents to just 103. Their true shooting percentage of 66.2% is a testament to just how efficient this offense has become.
The series against Philadelphia was supposed to be a battle. The 76ers had just pulled off a gutsy Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics, and coach Nick Nurse even admitted he wanted to keep the momentum rolling. "When your team's winning, you just want to keep the games coming," Nurse said before Game 1. But in hindsight, a little rest might have served Philly better. With Joel Embiid battling hip and ankle issues and Tyrese Maxey playing through a finger injury, the Sixers never looked like the team that erased a 3-1 deficit against Boston.
New York, on the other hand, didn't miss a beat. The 144-114 blowout in Game 4 was a fitting exclamation point on a series that was never really in doubt. The only concern for the Knicks is OG Anunoby's strained right hamstring, but the timing of this sweep couldn't be better. With the Eastern Conference Finals not starting until May 17 or 19, Anunoby has at least a week to rest and recover.
That extra time is a luxury in the playoffs, where the grind of playing every other day can take a toll. The Knicks' coaching staff can now focus entirely on scouting the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons without the distraction of a series to manage. And if New York gets its wish, those two teams will beat each other up in a long, physical seven-game series.
Two years ago, the Knicks learned the hard way what happens when the war of attrition catches up to you, falling to the Indiana Pacers in a grueling series. This time, they're the ones with the upper hand. With momentum, health, and a week of rest on their side, New York is in prime position to make a deep run. The Eastern Conference Finals are calling, and the Knicks are ready to answer.