Knicks Four Wins From Biggest NBA Underdog Story Ever

The New York Knicks weren't supposed to be here, but that's exactly what makes their story so compelling.

When the playoffs started six weeks ago, the Knicks had +2200 odds to win the NBA championship. No team with worse playoff odds has won a title in at least 40 years, meaning New York is four victories away from becoming the biggest underdog story in modern NBA history.

They weren't even favored to win the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics held that honor, followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But the Knicks had other plans. They swept Cleveland and destroyed every opponent in their path with a historic +271 point differential through the playoffs.

That works out to an average victory margin of 19.7 points per game, the largest by any team entering the NBA Finals in league history. They've won 11 straight playoff games and haven't lost since Game 3 against Atlanta in the first round.

Now they face the San Antonio Spurs and phenom Victor Wembanyama as underdogs once again. FanDuel has them at +160 to win the series, but the matchup is closer than casual fans might think.

Why This Inspires

Point guard Jalen Brunson has spent his entire career proving doubters wrong. History says small guards who aren't elite defenders can't lead teams to championships, but Brunson keeps beating the odds.

The Knicks built their roster specifically to compete for moments like this. They traded for defensive stars OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to create a deep, versatile lineup that can match up with anyone.

Anunoby happens to be the best Wembanyama defender in the league. Among 20 players who've defended the Spurs star for at least 100 possessions, Anunoby has held him to the fewest points per 100 matchups.

New York also has Karl-Anthony Towns, one of history's best shooting big men, to pull Wembanyama away from the paint where he dominates. The Knicks are shooting 40% from three-point range this postseason, the best mark among remaining teams.

Yes, the Eastern Conference is weaker than the West. Nobody disputes that. But there are always one or two East teams capable of winning it all, and the Knicks have proven they're legitimate contenders.

They enter the Finals with eight days of rest while San Antonio just survived a grueling seven-game war with Oklahoma City. That advantage matters.

Whether or not the Knicks complete their improbable journey, they've already shown that underdogs with the right mix of talent, depth, and belief can achieve what everyone said was impossible.