Draymond Green has sparked a new controversy ahead of the 2026 NBA Finals by suggesting that the New York Knicks had an easy path to winning the Eastern Conference.
“I double down on this. Just like Becky Hammon said, prove me wrong. Getting out of the East has never been a sure fire thing to winning a championship. What you all talking about? You’re supposed to get out of the East. It’s the East. Of course you’re supposed to get out of the East.”
One of the key talking points heading into the NBA Finals is that New York didn’t face the same level of competition compared to the West. The Knicks defeated Atlanta, Philadelphia and Cleveland on their way to the 2026 Finals, while the San Antonio Spurs survived a brutal path that included Portland, Minnesota and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Can the Knicks win the 2026 NBA Finals?
The New York Knicks enter the NBA Finals as underdogs, but they have a very real chance of defeating the Spurs. They are currently the hottest team in the NBA, riding an 11-game playoff winning streak while dominating several competitive rosters, particularly in their series against the Cavaliers, who were led by Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
Knicks vs Spurs head-to-head
During the 2025-26 season, the Knicks posted a 2-1 record against the Spurs. Their only loss came in an epic NBA Cup Final in December that ended in a 134-132 thriller. That track record should give New York confidence heading into the series and is one of the reasons many believe the Knicks have a legitimate chance to pull off the upset.
