Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y., is going to be nuts when the New York Knicks commence their NBA Finals series against either the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder or the upstart San Antonio Spurs early next month.
When the Knicks are thriving, the NBA is better off for it. I'd argue that the same thing holds true for college hoops and Syracuse men's basketball. When the Orange is doing well, it's good for collegiate hoops.
The Knicks, the former home of Syracuse basketball legend and Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, are on a historic run in these NBA Playoffs. New York, the No. 3 seed, fell behind No. 6 seed Atlanta, 2-1, in the playoffs' first round.
Since then, the Knicks, led by former Villanova two-time national champion and All-NBA second-team performer in the 2025-26 season Jalen Brunson, have rattled off 11 straight victories and in dominating fashion to claim the Eastern Conference Finals crown.
The Knicks have now outscored their opponents by 262 points across the last 11 games.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 26, 2026
That is the best point differential across 11 games in NBA history, regardless of whether it is regular or postseason play.
What an incredible month it has been in New York.
Oklahoma City, the No. 1 seed, travels to No. 2 seed San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals on Thursday evening, with the Thunder leading that series, 3-2.
There are parallels, so to speak, between Syracuse men's basketball and the New York Knicks.
The Knicks, one of the NBA's most iconic brands, haven't won a world title since 1973. Prior to this season, New York hadn't reached the NBA Finals dating back to 1999. That's a long stretch for the Knicks' exuberant fan base!
never gonna forget these moments 🤩 pic.twitter.com/YSqwCtcM7P
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 28, 2026
Orange hoops fanatics can relate. While SU's last - and only - national championship arrived in 2003, with Melo and now-Syracuse basketball head coach Gerry McNamara leading the charge, the 'Cuse has fallen on tough times in recent years.
Syracuse basketball hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2021. The Orange has posted back-to-back losing seasons. McNamara, a former Madison Square Garden legend in his own right due to his heroics in Big East Conference Tournaments some 20 years ago, is trying to reverse the recent slide experienced by the 'Cuse.
Speaking of Madison Square Garden, the world's most famous arena is expected to be the host of a non-conference battle during the 2026-27 season that will pit Syracuse basketball against another well-known New York brand in college hoops, Rick Pitino-led St. John's.
Pitino, as many of you know, was a Syracuse basketball assistant under the Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim in the 1970s. Pitino, as you also may know, was the Knicks' head coach from 1987 to 1989.
The New York Knicks are a big-time brand in the NBA. They play in the world's most famous arena. New York City, and the greater metropolitan area, are home to legions of both Knicks fans and Syracuse basketball fans.
While SU isn't necessarily "New York's college team" these days (that designation would go to St. John's), Syracuse basketball getting back to its former glory days will not only delight the fan base, but it's also important to the sport of college hoops.
Let's see if the Orange can right the ship, much as the New York Knicks have in recent years.
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