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Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks scored 28 points against the Mavericks.
The New York Knicks didn’t play on Monday night, but they surely had a reason to celebrate.
As the March 30 slate approached, it was revealed that the Knicks needed one thing to happen on Monday in order to clinch a spot in the 2026 NBA Playoffs officially.
A Philadelphia 76ers loss against the Miami Heat did the trick.
After the Sixers suffered a 119-109 loss against the Heat, the Knicks officially punched their ticket to the postseason while holding a 48-27 record, along with the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks announced their accomplishment on Monday night.
GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 27: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks huddles with his team during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The New York Knicks’ Official Announcement
via New York Knicks on X: IT’S OFFICIAL. PLAYOFFS CLINCHED.
The Knicks landed some much-needed positive news after they recently found themselves dealing with a two-game skid.
On Thursday, March 26, the Knicks took on the Charlotte Hornets for a matchup in North Carolina. Seeing as though the Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, their win over the Knicks wasn’t exactly a stunner.
Charlotte defeated New York 114-103.
The Knicks looked to bounce back against the top seed in the Western Conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder hosted the Knicks and pulled off a double-digit win, 111-100.
Outside of Jalen Brunson, the Knicks didn’t have a single scorer over 20 points. As the head coach, Mike Brown, pointed out after the game, the Knicks were dominated in the free-throw game and found themselves struggling with the way the game was called.
Mike Brown Calls Out The Knicks
“It was a hard-fought ball game. The thing that I was most disappointed in was the amount of energy that we expended on the officials,” Mike Brown told reporters after Sunday’s Knicks loss.
“If you get hammered [giving up fouls], you’ve got to be really good in other areas. And I told the team that we spent so much energy worrying about the officials that we had more turnovers than them,” Brown later added.
GettyDALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 19: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts to a three point shot by Landry Shamet #44 during the second half of a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on November 19, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Knicks will get a chance to bounce back and re-enter the winner’s column on Tuesday, March 31, against the Houston Rockets on the road.
For the time being, they can feel good knowing they are gearing up for another playoff run. The Knicks currently trail the Boston Celtics for the second seed by 2.0 games. They hold a 1.5-game lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third seed.
Justin Grasso Justin Grasso is an NBA reporter, covering trending league news, transactions, injuries, and player developments. He is a credentialed journalist with nearly a decade of insider access. More about Justin Grasso
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