The New York Knicks are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals. And they've gotten into this position on the strength of a 10-game winning streak like no other in team history.
Or NBA history, for that matter.
They trailed Atlanta 2-1 in Round 1, which seems like forever ago. They're 10-0 since, after winning the final three games against the Hawks, then sweeping Philadelphia in Round 2, and now taking a 3-0 lead over Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals.
It looks easy, but Knicks coach Mike Brown noted, “there's nothing easy about this" and added having “a little bit of luck” helps as well.
“They’re doing the things I always talk about: they’re holding each other accountable, they’re believing in the process, they’re playing with a competitive spirit that is unmatched," Brown said. "If you do those things while focusing on the detail and communicating and bringing energy and effort you have a chance to string some games together.”
A look inside the numbers of this monthlong stretch by the Knicks:
The Knicks have won these 10 consecutive playoff games by a combined 225 points. There's never been such a one-sided 10-game stretch in NBA history — regular season or playoffs.
Before this playoff run, the most lopsided score differential in a 10-game winning streak for the Knicks came from Oct. 24 through Nov. 11, 1969 — 168 points. New York won the NBA title that season.
The most one-sided 10-game winning streak in playoff history was turned in by the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors, who outscored opponents by 171 during that stretch on their way to that season's title. Among the assistant coaches on that Warriors staff was Mike Brown, now the Knicks' head coach.
And the NBA record for point differential in any 10-game stretch, before now, was a 214-point margin by the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1973-74 season. The Bucks went 9-1 in those games. The most lopsided differential during a 10-game winning streak was also by the Bucks, who outscored opponents by 212 points from Feb. 11 through Feb. 24, 1971.
New York's 10-game winning streak is tied for the fifth-longest in a single postseason.
Golden State started 15-0 in the 2017 playoffs. San Antonio won 12 straight in the 1999 playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers had a pair of 11-game playoff winning streaks — first in 1989, when they got swept by Detroit in the NBA Finals, and again in 2001 when they topped Philadelphia for the title.
The Knicks join Boston (2024), Cleveland (2016 and 2017), San Antonio (2012) and New Jersey (2003) in having 10-game winning streaks in the same postseason.
Before this season, the Knicks’ longest playoff winning streak (in the same season) was a six-game run in 1999.
New York has scored 1,222 points during the winning streak. The Knicks are the eighth team to have scored that many points during a 10-game postseason stretch.
Of the previous seven, five went on to win NBA titles — Golden State in 2017, the Lakers in 1987, the Lakers in 1985, Philadelphia in 1967 and Boston in 1959.
The two that did not — Denver in 1985 and San Antonio in 1983.
The Knicks are shooting 53.8% during this 10-game winning streak, by far the best in the NBA since this run began on April 25.
Oklahoma City is shooting 50.1% since that date. No other team in the league is over 50% over those last four weeks.
New York is 5-0 in its last five playoff road games — tying the longest such streak in team history. Last season's Knicks also had a five-game road winning streak.
But all five of the wins in this Knicks' streak have come by double figures — tying the longest such run in NBA playoff history.
Miami won five consecutive road games by double digits in 2013, and Golden State did it in 2017. Both of those clubs won NBA titles in those seasons.
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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates with teammates after winning Game 3 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck is joining the New Jersey Devils and is very happy about it.
The 33-year-old three-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender met the media before New Jersey faced the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and his eagerness to wear No. 37 for the Devils was evident.
“Sitting at home for so long was getting to me. For myself, I’m just really excited to play hockey again," Hellebuyck said after his suspension by the Winnipeg Jets for his failure to report to training camp led to Friday’s trade with New Jersey. “I’m joining a very skilled group. They brought me for a certain specific role. I’m really excited to fill that role, not only on the ice but off the ice as well.”
Hellebuyck spent 11 seasons with the Jets, including a Presidents’ Trophy-winning season in 2024-25, and helped the United States win gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics this year. A fifth-round draft pick in 2012 by Winnipeg, Hellebuyck is fifth on the U.S.-born goaltenders list with 345 career wins. Among U.S.-born goalies with 300 or more career starts, his .916 save percentage ranks fourth and 2.58 goals-against average ranks sixth.
Hellebuyck will share goaltending duties with 36-year-old Jake Allen, who is 5-2-0 this season.
The Devils sent forward Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round pick, a 2027 seventh-rounder and injured forward Nick Bjugstad to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck.
“Obviously having a goaltender of this pedigree come in here and support Jake is exciting," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. ”That should give the group more confidence."
General manager Sunny Mehta said Hellebuyck's excitement for his new destination was palpable within minutes of their initial conversation.
Hellebuyck has been skating in Michigan while trade talks continued. He has five seasons left on a seven-year contact with an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million.
“He was like: ‘I’m ready, I’m packed. I’ll get in my car right now,'” Mehta said about his exchange with his new goalie.
Mehta laughed and said he told Hellebuyck: "Don’t do that.”
Mehta has been trying to improve a team that missed the playoffs two of the past three seasons and won just one playoff series since 2012. With Saturday's 3-1 win over the Kings, New Jersey has won seven of its first 11 games this season.
“Everything is about winning. That is my goal every single day," Mehta said. ”This obviously makes us a better team. In my view it improves our team — and I was thrilled about my team coming out of camp."
When Hellebuyck plays his first game for New Jersey is still undetermined. He hasn't played in an NHL game since April 13, a 6-2 Jets loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Winnipeg missed the playoffs last spring a year after finishing with an NHL-best 116 points.
Hellebuyck won 47 games in 2024-25. The Jets advanced past the second round only once during his tenure in Manitoba.
Hellebuyck said it's too early to address his feeling toward the city of Winnipeg and Jets fans. New Jersey visits Winnipeg on Nov. 10.
“There’s a lot I need to say," he said. ”Out of respect for them and the celebration of hockey, I’m going to postpone to a later date. I hope they know I care about them."
Hellebuyck added that winning gold with his now-teammate Jack Hughes — who scored the overtime goal against Canada in February for the Americans' first gold medal since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team — has left an indelible mark on him.
“That’s one of those moments and memories that I will cherish forever. And I will probably hear how other people will cherish them forever," he said. “One of my favorite stories is, ‘Where were you when?’ People will tell me what they were doing during the gold-medal game. Those are my favorite stories to hear.”
The veteran netminder, a native of Commerce, Michigan, who played two seasons of college hockey at UMass-Lowell, added that he looks forward to playing home games in the U.S. after more than a decade calling Canada home.
Hellebuyck added that while he was unfamiliar with life in New Jersey at the moment, he is looking forward to discovering everything that comes with new surroundings — finding a home, favorite restaurants and new places to spend free time.
“I know I’m going to get a lot more of that here than in Canada because I don’t think they care much about it," he said of the gold-medal plaudits for the Olympic win over Canada. “This is closer to my family’s home. Just being in the USA will be very exciting for this next chapter in my career.”
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
FILE - Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save against a St. Louis Blues shot during the third period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday April 21, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save on a shot by Ottawa Senators' Dylan Cozens (24) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa, Ontario, on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stands by the net during a time out from play against the Dallas Stars in the first period of an NHL hockey game, April 2, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
