The New York Knicks are officially champions, ending a 52-year drought and bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy home to the Big Apple! Man, that still feels unbelievable after all those years, right? While it looked like a dominant run on paper, the Knicks definitely hit some bumps in the road during the 2026 Playoffs. We saw some absolutely wild comebacks, like that Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers and, of course, the iconic Game 4 comeback in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Those moments were pure championship resilience, and Mikal Bridges is finally pulling back the curtain on how they pulled it off.
The Core That Refused to Quit
So, what was the secret sauce for those massive comebacks? Bridges says it was all about experience. This Knicks squad was packed with veteran players, guys who were absolutely starving to achieve something big in the 2026 Playoffs. Think about it: they had a seriously underwhelming 2025-26 regular season, so when the postseason hit, they knew it was time to flip the switch. This wasn’t some brand new crew either; they largely kept the same core group from the 2025 Playoffs, where they made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. That experience, that deep run, that taste of success,they used it to their advantage, especially when staring down some truly massive deficits.
Jalen Brunson’s Leadership and the “We’ve Been Here Before” Mentality
Jalen Brunson’s leadership was tested big time during the 2026 Playoffs. Remember when they went 1-2 down to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round? And then having to dig out of those enormous holes against other opponents? That kind of pressure demands cool heads, and as Bridges pointed out, the Knicks had that in spades. “We had chances and opportunities where we’ve been in the same situation and succeeded,” Bridges told Men’s Health. He said it’s that faith, that belief that “We’ve been here before. It’s still us. Still the same game. Forty-eight minutes. Just having that same belief and knowing that it’s going to take just one possession at a time.” It wasn’t about hero ball; it was about steady, grinding belief. “You ain’t going to get it back in one possession. There’s still a lot of time left. If we could be down 20 with 10 minutes left and have a chance, being down 27 with 24 minutes, we definitely have a chance.” That’s the mindset of a champion, right there.
Now, the Knicks get to bask in the glory of all that hard work. That 2026 championship run was magical, and you know they’ll be looking to run it back. They’ve got targets on their backs now, for sure, but as everyone learned in those 2026 Playoffs, this team is at its absolute best when the pressure is on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
Leave a Reply