The New York Knicks spent almost the entirety of the 2025-26 regular season on a rollercoaster. Throughout self-admitted battles with entitlement and schematic overhauls, Mike Brown's group clearly perservered to the point of making it all the way to the NBA Finals.
The team has faced myriad obstacles throughout the year. They're ultimately being defined by what they learned in their time trying to overcome those very challenges, which they've translated to 13 consecutive NBA Playoff victories against four different opponents.
With the NBA Finals in New York City for the first time in 27 years, and the Knicks just two wins away from ending an infamously long championship drought, there's an overwhelming amount of buzz around the team. But Brown's Knicks have spent all season proving that even when they get knocked down, they'll find a way to get back up.
Knicks' ability to thrive in face of pressure will get ultimate test in Game 3
At Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Hollywood star Ben Stiller was recording Knicks practice on his iPhone. New York City rap icons Fat Joe and Jadakiss asked players questions, as reporters for "Joe and Jada." Star power is expected when New York's team is two wins away from claiming the lone spot atop the NBA world.
The President of the United States' plans to attend Game 3, though, are unprecedented. They require an immense increase in security measures, which fans online showed includes a glass barrier going up around Madison Square Garden. Fans won't be permitted to watch the game outside of the building, either.
New York's team, however, features players that have competed, and suceeded, at some of the highest levels of athletic competition in the world. Their Villanova-educated trio of stars even have NCAA National Championship experience.
And the entire group, except for trade deadline acquisition Jose Alvarado, banded together to consistently execute at a high-enough level to win the NBA Cup Championship in December.
Their opponent in Las Vegas was no other team than the San Antonio Spurs, themselves. Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, and essentially the entire rest of their roster went on to improve drastically over the remainder of the season — and the postseason thus far.
The Knicks have been working, too. They’ve spent all year on not allowing distractions, ego, or anything in between distract them. The "singular" championship focus, that the team cited when announcing that they'd be moving on from former head coach Tom Thibodeau, has been on full display.
Brown's players have only gotten better, as the obstacles in front of them have grown more complex and intimidating. They'll be ready to go, regardless of which other celebrities decide to make their way to Game 3 at MSG.
Even if it's not always smooth sailing, the Knicks are ready to take any challenge head on.
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