Kyrie Irving is impressed with the Knicks.
The New York Knicks are going to the NBA Finals and the league, and the city of New York, is already preparing for it.
This trip to the doorstep of a championship is a long time coming. Knicks fans have been waiting 27 years for a trip to the Finals and even longer, since 1973 to be exact, to actually win one.
Getting to this point for the Knicks has been an impressive show, to say the least. They've won 11-straight games going all the way back to the first round of the playoffs and, led by Jalen Brunson, they've dominated all the way through that streak.
New York Knicks pose with the 2026 Eastern Conference trophy after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. David Richard-Imagn ImagesThe entire league has taken notice of what the Knicks have done up to this point and what they do in just a few weeks if not sooner, and considering the intensity that Knicks fans are known for, New York City may need to brace itself for what could happen in the streets whether the Knicks win or lose.
High Praise from Kyrie
"A lot of people said that New York City was gonna get burned down... Knicks fans are gonna go bonkers man," Kyrie Irving said (via NBA_New York). "I'm excited to watch them too, especially with their team. Mike Brown leading the helm, Jalen Brunson... He has great pieces around him that are built to help make that system successful."
Irving's praise of the team, especially Brunson, carries a lot of weight. Irving knows what it's like win a championship for a city starving for one, doing so with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, and from one iconic point guard to another, his recognition of Brunson is certainly high praise.
Basketball in New York
He has his own experience with New York basketball fans as well, playing for the Brooklyn Nets from 2019-2023 before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks, and while his tenure was for a different New York team and far less spectacular than what the Knicks have achieved, he knows what a championship would mean for the city.
New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. David Richard-Imagn ImagesThere's still a lot of work to do and the formidable San Antonio Spurs stand in the way, but if the Knicks have proved anything this series it's that they have what it takes to overcome incredible odds.
The support players that Irving spoke about are exactly what have made the Knicks so successful as the entire team is built to complement each other and build toward success together.
New York is just four wins away from a championship and clearly, all eyes are on the Knicks.
