Although the New York Knicks barged into the 2026 NBA Finals with plenty of momentum after sweeping their opponents in the East semis and finals, many still weren’t convinced about their championship campaign. After all, this was the Eastern Conference, a bracket that, for years, has been dominated by the wild West.
In addition, the West champions, the San Antonio Spurs, also had the league’s latest and brightest superstar, Victor Wembanyama, a 7’4″ phenom who many are saying could be basketball’s GOAT when all is said and done.
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However, as the first two games of the finals have shown, incredible chemistry and trust in one another often trump individual talent, as the Knicks have leaned on a multifaceted attack to stymie Wemby and get the Spurs on the ropes.
And according to Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, watching the Knicks play reminds him of the Detroit Pistons, who in 2004 stunned the NBA world by humbling a stacked Los Angeles Lakers team with four Hall of Famers in the starting lineup.
The Knicks’ superstar guard Jalen Brunson often sets the tone for his team. When his shot is on, the Knicks’ chances of winning are high. However, when the well runs dry, the blue and orange almost always struggle to grab a victory.
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Two games into the NBA Finals, the left-handed assassin has had his moments, but for the most part, has struggled to find his rhythm, going 19-for-56 from the field, an abysmal 33.9 percent shooting clip.
But with other Knicks players stepping up, they have found themselves just two wins away from ending a 53-year title drought—something that amazes Barkley.
“If somebody had told us after two games that Brunson would be 12-for-31 in the first game and 7-for-25 in Game 2, with the same number of assists and turnovers, we would’ve said, ‘Uh-oh, the Knicks are down 0-2,'” Chuck surmised.
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“He’s got 56 points, but he got those 56 points on 56 shots,” he continued. “If somebody told us this kid was going to be 19-for-56 through two games, we’d say the Knicks were going to lose. That’s why stats can be very deceptive.”
Brunson has more than done his part, living up to his reputation as the NBA’s most lethal clutch performer by hitting a midrange jumper to tie the game up at 104-all before canning the game-deciding free throw a few moments later.
But Brunson hasn’t been the entire story, just a chapter of what the Knicks hope would be a book with a happy ending. In Game 2, Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges scored 20. OG Anunoby added 17 while Landry Shamet continued his hot shooting, tallying 13 points, making three 3-pointers.
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A complete team
With timely contributions from the starters and reserves, this Knicks unit has found itself on the brink of greatness, using a strategy Barkley last saw the Pistons use in 2004. Don’t get it twisted; the Pistons had great players led by Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince, but they paled compared to the Lakers’ fearsome foursome of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Karl Malone.
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“This team reminds me of the Detroit Pistons. They had a bunch of really, really good players,” Chuck said. “They played as a team. They didn’t rely on one superstar carrying everything. They just had a collection of really good players who understood their roles and played together.”
“That’s what makes this Knicks team so impressive. It’s beautiful to watch,” he concluded.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.