The New York Knicks are NBA champions. Jalen Brunson, fresh off lifting the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award trophy on June 13, 2026, after a Game Five win against the San Antonio Spurs, proved it. That championship feeling? It’s gonna be real when the season tips off in October against Philly, it’ll be real for the Christmas rematch with the Spurs, and it’s gonna be real until next June. But there’s one massive question hanging over the Big Apple: can they actually go back-to-back? History is screaming “no way.”
The Unprecedented Parity Problem
Since the 2017 and 2018 Warriors went back-to-back, the NBA has been a whirlwind of different champions. Every single one of them thought they could run it back. Every single one of them believed they had the formula. But nope. Not one of them did. The Lakers in 2021? Thought they were set. Didn’t happen. The Bucks in 2022? Believed they had it. Nope. Nuggets in 2024? Celtics in 2025? Even the Thunder in 2026? All champions, all convinced they’d start a dynasty, and all fell short. That’s eight different champions in eight years, folks. Unprecedented parity, and the Knicks are the ninth team in line to try and break that cycle.
Chasing Legends Who Knew How To Repeat
While recent history points to a one-and-done championship reign, there have been 13 instances of teams repeating as champions in NBA history. A good chunk of those were part of even bigger dynasties, like three-peats or the Celtics’ epic eight-peat. The teams that pulled it off had absolute legends on the roster: George Mikan with the Lakers in ’49-’50 and ’52-’54. Bill Russell leading the Celtics from ’59-’66 and again in ’68-’69. Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with the Lakers in ’87-’88. The “Bad Boys” Pistons, led by Isiah Thomas, going back-to-back in ’89-’90. Michael Jordan’s Bulls, not once, but twice: ’91-’93 and ’96-’98. Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets in ’94-’95. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal with the Lakers from ’00-’02. Then Kobe again in ’09-’10. LeBron James with the Heat in ’12-’13. And the last ones to do it, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry with the Warriors in ’17-’18. Were those players immortalized partially because of those back-to-back championships? Absolutely.
The Knicks won it all just 65 days ago, and their next season starts in 64 days. We are closer to seeing that championship banner raised than we were to Brunson lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Knicks are seeing no reason why they can’t make it two straight, and honestly, why should they? But history, man, it’s a cold, hard teacher. Can they defy nearly a decade of league trends? Their season opener against Philly is looming, with that Finals rematch against the Spurs on Christmas. Get ready, because these Knicks are chasing history.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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