The New York Knicks reached the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years with a commanding 130-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Knicks continued their fine form as they swept the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Final 4-0 and extended their franchise record play-off win streak to 11 games.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks’ scoring with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while the series’ Most Valuable Player Jalen Brunson added 15. The Knicks, whose only NBA titles came in 1970 and 1973, last reached the Finals in 1999 when they lost 4-1 against the San Antonio Spurs.
Brunson, 29, was two years old when the Knicks last reached the Finals, when his father Rick – who is an assistant coach at the franchise – was a guard on the team.
“It means a lot, but I wouldn’t be here without my team-mates, the belief they had in me,” said Brunson.
“They give me the confidence. They let me be me. Most importantly, we all believe in each other from top to bottom. It’s an honour to play with them.”
The Knicks will face either defending champions Oklahoma City or the Spurs in next month’s showpiece, with the teams tied at 2-2 in the Western Conference final.
Landry Shamet, who scored 16 points and netted all four of his three-pointer attempts, said his side are remaining focused on the “larger goal” rather than dwelling on their victory over the Cavaliers.
“We’ve got four more wins to try and go get and we know it’s going to be even harder. Being in this position with this team, it’s pretty special,” he said.
If the Knicks continue their unbeaten run and sweep the finals, they will equal the NBA’s record play-off win streak of 15 set by the Golden State Warriors in 2017.
The Knicks ended the first quarter with an 8-0 run and began the second with 12 unanswered points to lead 50-26. Shamet’s third three-pointer later put the Knicks 61-32 up and they never looked back, overwhelming the Cavs after half-time with 22 turnovers. Donovan Mitchell top-scored for the Cavs with 31 points. Game five of the Western Conference Final takes place on Tuesday. (01.30 BST Wednesday).