Knicks Road Back to the Conference Finals: The Timeline of a Revival
It wasn’t overnight. This moment, the revival of the New York Knicks, returning to the Eastern Conference Finals has been built brick by brick, heartbreak by heartbreak, move by move. The city that breathes basketball and bleeds orange and blue has waited 25 years for this stage, and it has taken years of reinvention, resilience, and the right pieces finally falling into place. The Knicks’ journey back has not been linear. It has been a grind, but one that now feels worth every painful misstep along the way.
Back in 2019, the franchise hit what many considered rock bottom. After missing out on stars like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in free agency, the Knicks pivoted toward a rebuild rooted in youth and culture. The hiring of Leon Rose as president of basketball operations in 2020 marked the beginning of a new era. A former agent with deep ties to the league, Rose emphasized patience, professionalism, and long-term vision. That same year, the Knicks drafted Obi Toppin and brought in Tom Thibodeau as head coach. A defensive-minded leader known for maximizing effort and demanding toughness.
Then came the Jalen Brunson signing in 2022, which many outside the city mocked as an overpay. Knicks fans knew better. From the moment Brunson stepped on the court, he gave New York something it hadn’t had in a decade. A leader with poise, purpose, and playoff chops. His rise from underappreciated role player in Dallas to cornerstone star in Manhattan was meteoric. Last postseason, he led the Knicks past the 76ers in the first round and battled with the Pacers tooth and nail, even in defeat. He became the city’s identity at that very moment.
The trade for Josh Hart during the 2022-23 season brought not only Brunson’s Villanova brother but the spark this team needed to turn up the grit. Then came Mikal Bridges during the 2024 offseason, giving the Knicks a two-way weapon and completing the Villanova trio that has now defined this team’s DNA. The biggest swing was acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns last summer, a move that brought a former all-star and New Jersey native back home to embrace the pressure and passion of the city. His fit was questioned early, but in this postseason, he has silenced every doubt. Towns has been a rebounding machine, a shot maker, and a clutch contributor.
That leads us here. The Knicks outlasted the top-seeded Celtics, stole two games in Boston, and closed out the series with Madison Square Garden shaking to its core. Now comes Indiana, a team that humiliated New York last postseason and hasn’t let the Knicks forget it. Tyrese Haliburton has embraced the villain role, taunting the Garden faithful and gassing up every win like a championship. The stakes were high last season. This time, the stakes are even higher, and New York is ready.
Game One at MSG is more than just the start of a new series, it’s the next chapter in a redemption arc that’s been building for half a decade. The Knicks must dictate pace, control the glass, and challenge Indiana’s three-point shooters early. Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner will test the Knicks’ defensive rotations, but the crowd, the culture, and the chemistry that’s been forged in fire should carry New York through. The road back to the conference finals has been long. Now the journey continues.
