The New York Knicks' 2026 NBA Championship run featured several notable comebacks. The team's resilience was on full display throughout each of their four playoff series. That resilience consistently helped them climb out of holes — whether they dug them for themselves, or talented, 7-foot-5 opponents did the work.
The Knicks delivered that title in dramatic fashion, ending the drought that had been hanging over the organization for 53 years and counting. And the comeback victories along the way were legitimately historically impressive, making them forever part of the team's identity.
Early on in the 2026-27 season, though, the group has seemed a bit too dependent on their comeback magic — much to the chagrin of head coach Mike Brown. The coach said after opening night against the Philadelphia 76ers that he always wants to win, but doesn't always love his team winning in unsustainable or inadvisable ways because those kinds of victories enforce bad habits.
Between that loss, and the reigning champions' first loss on the road against the Boston Celtics on Friday, the Knicks might simply be a little bit too comfortable to start the season. It's just an 0-2 start, and they're the exact kind of group that can bounce back from it. But the way that they got there is certainly not something Brown will ignore; fans shouldn't either.
Knicks must channel past comebacks without relying on them too much
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks trailed by as many as 22 points. One Jalen Brunson bucket over James Harden at a time, though, they forced overtime. Landry Shamet's sharp shooting blew the game open in its fifth period, giving them their first of four straight victories over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Then, New York trailed by at least 10 points in each game of the NBA Finals. And their 29-point comeback over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 was the single biggest in the history of the final round of the league's postseason.
The Knicks etched their names in history. It would be silly to suggest they should forget about those wins. They likely have immeasurably more synergy as a group as a result of them. Relying on their proven abilities to come through in the clutch to the extent of any complacency earlier on in games, though, is how they get themselves into trouble.
If New York controls what they can control in their upcoming games, their resilience may just show in the form of some signature comeback magic. If they don't, though, and rely on their previous comebacks to help them win in the future, victories will stop being a signature part of their games at all.
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