The New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O'Brien trophy after defeating the Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA finals on Saturday in San Antonio. Photograph: Darren Abate/AP
The year of New York
Sometimes it's just your year. When infectiously optimistic young mayor Zohran Mamdani was elected this past fall, there was a palpable vibe shift in the city. That's not to say that there's a direct correlation between the New York Knicks being NBA champions and the era of buoyant positivity permeating the city, but it's also not to say there's not one. Other American cities will, inevitably, have their moment in the sun again soon. But 2026 is the year of New York (someone get that memo to the Mets).
The Spurs aren't going anywhere
It may come across as condescending to a group of professional athletes who were on the verge of a championship, but the San Antonio Spurs far overachieved this year. It's almost unheard of for a young team to make it all the way to the finals in their first rodeo. The core of Victor Wembanyama (22), Stephon Castle (21), and Dylan Harper (20) took their lumps along the way, but lessons learned are often painful. This Spurs team will be rodeo-ing for many seasons to come.
The Thunder are not inevitable
Nine months ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder seemed unbeatable, but they met their end against the Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Oklahoma City will be heard from again, but in an era of parity, dynasties are best labeled in hindsight.
LeBron shouldn't retire yet
A 41-year-old LeBron James backpacked the Lakers to a first-round playoff victory. Despite his age, he remains too good to retire. When Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves were sidelined, LeBron dragged Los Angeles through the first round by force of will.
It's a 48-minute game
The Knicks clawed back from down 29 points in Game 4 of the finals to complete the largest comeback in NBA finals history. As Jalen Brunson said, it's about "chipping away."
Steph needs help
Stephen Curry is still really good, but the Warriors have not advanced past the first round since 2022. Golden State needs solutions quickly, or Curry's brilliance will become increasingly fleeting.
The Twitter DMs were real
Evidence mounts that the leaked Twitter DMs came from Kevin Durant. The Rockets were bounced by the Lakers, and Durant's team looked discombobulated. Talent and chemistry are not the same thing.
The Hawks will be great next season
The Hawks pushed the Knicks in the first round and traded Trae Young for CJ McCollum, who consistently made New York look mortal. With depth and the No. 8 pick, Atlanta enters next season with a puncher's chance.
Philly need to turn the page
The 76ers' stars aligned briefly, but then the wheels came off. Philadelphia should embrace youth and build around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe instead of squeezing another run from Embiid and George.
The Celtics should shake it up
Coach Joe Mazzulla showed warts with his three-point-heavy dogma. Jaylen Brown may have peak trade value; selling high could retool the roster and philosophy.
The Timberwolves lost the trade
The trade sending Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo was once seen as a win-win, but Towns was indispensable in the Knicks' title run, while Randle faltered and DiVincenzo suffered an achilles injury.
Don't make too much (or too little) of the regular season
The Pistons steamrolled the regular season but had playoff flaws, while the Knicks ironed out wrinkles. The Spurs' regular-season dominance over the Thunder previewed their playoff victory.
Don't trade for James Harden
The James Harden experience repeats: regular-season success, playoff disappointment. The Cavaliers learned the hard way that Harden cannot be a dependable No. 1 option in the postseason.
A savvy front office is paramount
The Thunder, Spurs, and Knicks all had smart front offices. Building through the draft or trades, they excelled at roster construction, a competitive advantage available to every franchise.
You can win with a small guard
Becky Hammon's claim that a small guard can't lead a championship team was disproven by Jalen Brunson, who won both conference finals and NBA finals MVP. The goal is to find a truly great player and build around his strengths.
