Jalen Brunson Reveals Significant Adjustment Before NBA Finals Game 1

The New York Knicks are entering the 2026 NBA Finals on an 11-game win streak, cruising through the Eastern Conference with a dominant postseason showing.

The Knicks swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the playoffs, giving them some extra time to rest and recover as they awaited the winner of the seven-game series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors.

New York came out flat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers, trailing by 22 points midway through the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Somehow, the Knicks were able to pull off a miraculous comeback, keeping their postseason win streak alive.

The Knicks ultimately swept the Cavaliers, once again giving them ample time to rest as they awaited the winner of the seven-game Western Conference Finals series between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

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New York point guard Jalen Brunson said his team learned from their previous layoff and made sure they’ll be ready when they take the court against the Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

“We were focused, we were practicing pretty hard. Not knowing who we were playing yet, we had to prepare for both teams,” Brunson said. “We saw how we came out in Game 1 last time we had the rest days.”

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Brunson and the Knicks will tipoff against the Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 5:35 PM.