The Knicks finally got the ending their fans had been waiting on for decades. In June, New York stood alone at the top of the NBA for the first time since 1973, and that long-running punchline of a franchise can finally wear the crown.
But if the Knicks want the full victory lap, there’s still one more box to check: the Pacers.
New York and Indiana have been tied together for years, from the bruising battles of the 1990s - Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing, Rik Smits, John Starks - to the more recent postseason meetings. The rivalry picked back up in the 2013 playoffs, then came roaring back with series in 2024 and 2025. Indiana won all three.
That history is exactly why ESPN slotted Knicks-Pacers at No. 4 on its list of the top 10 NBA rivalries to watch in the 2026-27 season. If the Knicks and Pacers cross paths again with something real on the line, it would give New York a chance to settle one more score after its title run.
The two recent playoff matchups only sharpened the edge. In the 2024 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Knicks were simply too banged up to survive.
Julius Randle was hurt during the regular season and didn’t play in the postseason. Bojan Bogdanovic missed the series.
Mitchell Robinson appeared only in Game 1. OG Anunoby hurt his hamstring late in Game 2, returned for Game 7, and still didn’t last five minutes.
Then came the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, which opened with Indiana’s wild Game 1 comeback powered by Aaron Nesmith. Regulation ended with Tyrese Haliburton’s long two-pointer bouncing off the back of the rim, climbing high, and dropping through. The Pacers closed the series in six games.
Now the balance of power looks very different. New York is coming off a championship season, while Indiana finished 19-63 last year.
Haliburton missed the entire season with a torn Achilles, but he is set to return. The Pacers also expect a full season of Ivica Zubac in the middle after acquiring him last February.
And with the Eastern Conference as crowded as it has been in years, even getting to the playoffs will be a fight. Still, for the Knicks, the cleanest possible finishing touch would be simple: see Indiana again, and finish the job.
In Other News...
Knicks May Need To Watch One Clippers Center Situation Closely
The Clippers are suddenly facing a major mess after the NBA came down hard on the franchise with a massive fine and a loss of first-round draft capital, along with suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer and other executives. For teams around the league, the fallout is worth monitoring beyond the headline punishment, because situations like this can ripple into the roster and create unexpected movement later on.
For the Knicks, the part to watch is whether a veteran center in Los Angeles could eventually become available if the situation pushes the Clippers toward a buyout path. Nothing is close, and it is all still speculative, but New York has obvious reason to keep an eye on any frontcourt name that might shake loose from a troubled contender as the season develops. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Brunsons Knicks Title Run Looks Even Wilder After Hidden Detail
Jalen Brunsons run through the Knicks 2026 championship push already looked tough enough in hindsight, but the full picture makes it even more remarkable. He led all players in postseason scoring while carrying New York through the spring, and the grind behind that production now stands out even more as the injury picture around the playoffs keeps coming into focus.
Brunson had surgery after the season, and with training camps getting closer, he still has not been cleared for basketball activities. Peyton Watson recently talked about how hard it is to navigate the postseason when a body is not right, even from the other side of it after a hamstring strain kept him out, which only adds another layer to what Brunson managed to do on the way to the title. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face One Roster Decision That Could Shape Their Bench
The Knicks are still piecing together the back end of their roster, and the focus has turned to two veteran free agents who could help fill out the bench. Drew Eubanks and John Konchar are both on New Yorks radar as the team looks to add depth without taking on much risk, a familiar balancing act for a club trying to preserve flexibility while keeping enough reliable options around the rotation.
Eubanks would give the Knicks another body in the middle and a chance to compete for the third center role, while Konchar offers the kind of defense and rebounding that can make a reserve useful even when the ball is not in his hands. The decision matters because the final roster spots often come down to fit as much as talent, and New York appears to be weighing whether it wants size, versatility or a little of both before the bench is set. [Read more 🡒]