The Nova Knicks' Historic Run to the 2026 NBA Finals

About this episode

The episode discusses the New York Knicks' unexpected journey to the 2026 NBA Finals and explores various aspects of basketball and personal stories.

It is almost June, and that can only mean one thing: the NBA Finals are here. On this episode of Running It Back, Mike Palmer and Tarlin Ray sit down to process the immaculate, unexpected vibes of a New York Knicks squad that has defied expectations to play for basketball's ultimate prize. Why is Knick Nation so uncharacteristically quiet right now? Because they know exactly how fragile a postseason run can be. The guys break down how this team evolved from the top-down, starter-heavy grind of the Tom Thibodeau era into a selfless, 10-deep "Voltron" unit under head coach Mike Brown]. With the Knicks boasting top offensive, defensive, and net ratings in the playoffs, the conversation shifts to their potential Western Conference opponents: will they face a resilient but banged-up OKC squad, or the "Godzilla" presence of Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs? But it wouldn't be Running It Back without a detour through sports culture, personal milestones, and a healthy dose of perspective. Before diving deep into the hardwood strategy, Tarlin opens up about getting beat in HORSE by his daughter following his hip surgery, launching an unofficial injury rehab support group, and…

People in this episode

Hosts: Mike Palmer, Tarlin Ray

Topics covered

• NBA Finals
• New York Knicks
• basketball strategy
• sports culture
• personal milestones
• playoff analysis

Keywords

• NBA Finals
• New York Knicks
• Tom Thibodeau
• Mike Brown
• Victor Wembanyama
• San Antonio Spurs
• basketball strategy
• sports culture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New York Knicks, Tom Thibodeau, OKC, San Antonio Spurs, Starbucks

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