Where this Knicks team ranks among NBA champions of the past 26 years

The Knicks’ run to the 2026 NBA championship didn’t just ignite the city and break a half-century curse, it was one of the most dominant runs in recent history. After falling behind 2-1 to Atlanta in the first round, the Knicks rattled off 13 consecutive postseason victories, tied for the second-longest streak ever.

It’s fair to ask where this team ranks compared to other champions. Few plowed through their conference like these Knicks, and though they’ll have additional chances to run it back with this core, even this year alone may put them in a higher tier than most.

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To narrow down the scope, we’ll focus on this millennium’s champions, the past 26 dating back to 2000. Let’s dive in.

Jun 18, 2026; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown (left to right) and forward OG Anunoby and guard Jalen Brunson and center Karl-Anthony Towns and team president Leon Rose stand for the national anthem during a ceremony at New York City Hall following their NBA championship parade. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / © Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York’s best historic argument would be the statistical one. Its constant drubbing of Eastern Conference foes — including wins by 51, 39 and 37 points in each of the first three rounds, respectively — profiles it among the most dangerous squads in history.

Its average margin of victory topped any of the recent champions’, even the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors and 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers, legendary teams that boasted through the postseason with only one loss apiece. They also topped the list in offensive rating, sneaking by the 2023 Denver Nuggets.

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Its defensive metrics can’t stack up to the radically different era of the 2000s, though it boasted the best defensive rating of everybody in the NBA’s recent parity streak of no repeat champions. It finished on par with the 2005 San Antonio Spurs and 2019 Toronto Raptors for reference — not as impenetrable as the peak Warriors or LeBron James’ Heat, but no slouches either.

Fans will often point to the strength of a champion’s opponents, and here the Knicks have a…

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Publish date : 2026-06-21 15:30:00

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