Mike Breen had a front-row seat to a different kind of Knicks story during a recent SNY broadcast booth appearance with Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez, and he zeroed in on what pushed New York through its championship run.
Breen said the biggest edge wasn’t one hot scorer or a lockdown stretch on defense. For him, the separator was what the Knicks had already been through.
“Their playoff experience was the difference in the Finals,” Breen explained in the booth. “All 5 games they were down double figures in the first quarter, they put themselves in a hole, but the playoff experience taught them it's okay, we're gonna fight back, we're gonna get our run. And the other thing was, they all sacrificed, all that mattered was winning.”
That mindset showed up over and over against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals. In Game 1, the Knicks were down 27-19 after the first quarter before rallying behind Jalen Brunson, who played through injuries and still led the team with 30 points. Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Josh Hart chipped in 15 rebounds in a 105-95 comeback win.
Game 2 looked a lot like the opener. San Antonio jumped out to a 34-25 lead after one quarter, and New York again had to dig out of an early double-digit hole. Towns delivered 21 points and 13 rebounds, Mikal Bridges scored 20 points, and Brunson added 20 points with five steals as the Knicks escaped with a 105-104 win.
Breen’s point was clear: the Knicks leaned on their experience, stayed together, and kept erasing bad starts until they reached the finish line.
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Knicks Veteran Big Search Just Got More Interesting In Portland
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Potters situation is the one worth watching from a Knicks perspective. Portland is over capacity and already has two centers ahead of him, which could make him the odd man out if the Blazers need to clear room elsewhere. If he becomes available, New York has reason to look closely, because the Knicks still have a need for a veteran big man. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Suddenly Look Like A Real Landing Spot For Kelly Olynyk
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The Knicks, though, suddenly stand out as a place where Olynyk could actually compete for a spot rather than simply wait for one to open up. A training-camp invite or another non-guaranteed arrangement would give New York a low-risk look at a player who could fit into its center depth, and for Olynyk it would create a real path to stick around if he can make the case on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Fans Can Still Feel What Losing Donte DiVincenzo Cost
The Karl-Anthony Towns trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota still shapes how Knicks fans judge the deal, and DiVincenzo remains the part of the package that can sting the most. Randle is already gone from the Timberwolves, but DiVincenzo has stayed in place and continued to matter enough to Minnesota that his name has not been treated like a throw-in piece of the swap.
Now the contract and roster ripple effects are becoming clearer around him. DiVincenzo is recovering from an Achilles injury and is on an expiring deal, yet Minnesota has reportedly explored moving Josh Green to make room for a new signing rather than parting with DiVincenzo, a sign of how much value they still attach to the guard. For the Knicks, it is another reminder that the price of landing Towns was not just future flexibility, but a dependable backcourt piece they no longer have. [Read more 🡒]