Inside the numbers of the Knicks' 10-game winning streak, with a lot of NBA history happening

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.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

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)

LONDON (AP) — Alexander Zverev is used to being “the third guy” in tennis.

After following up his French Open title with a run to his first Wimbledon final, he's hoping to be more than that in the future.

Despite losing to Jannik Sinner on Centre Court on Sunday, the 29-year-old Zverev thinks he is closer than ever to challenging the top-ranked Italian and his main rival Carlos Alcaraz and giving tennis a Big Three again.

Sinner and Alcaraz had won the last nine Grand Slam tournaments between them before Zverev won his first major at Roland Garros this year.

“There was always this conversation, ‘who will be the third guy?’” Zverev said. “I’ve always been the third guy, but I was just far away from those two. But I’ve always been No. 3 in a way. So if I get closer to them ... it would be great.”

Alcaraz missed this year's French Open — and Wimbledon — with a wrist injury, and Sinner was eliminated in the second round in Paris after wilting in the heat. Zverev lost in five sets to Alcaraz in the semifinals at the Australian Open this year and lost 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 to Sinner on Sunday after overextending his knee in the third set.

“I think I’ve been pushing those guys,” Zverev said. “I haven’t beaten them this year, but I’ve pushed them to the limits, I would say.”

Despite the loss, Zverev will shed the “third guy” moniker in at least one way — he will overtake Alcaraz as No. 2 in the rankings on Monday.

Zverev had never been past the fourth round at Wimbledon before this year, but seems to have finally figured out how to play on grass.

“I’m 29 years old and this is the first time I actually believe I can win this trophy,” Zverev told the Centre Court crowd after his defeat.

Sinner seems to share that belief.

“Today you were so, so close. If you play like this, I'm very, very sure you're going to have this (trophy) at home as well," Sinner told his opponent. "I know the goal is for you to become the No. 1 in the world. You're very, very close. So we have to be very careful now.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Champion Jannik Sinner of Italy and runner-up Alexander Zverev of Germany pose with their trophies after the men's singles final at Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Jannik Sinner of Italy, top, and Alexander Zverev of Germany greet each other at the end of their men's singles final at Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Britain's Princess Kate presents the runner-up trophy to Alexander Zverev of Germany after his match against Jannik Sinner of Italy in the men's singles final at Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)