State Champ Radio New York Knicks
Visual Concepts / 2K / NBA 2K26
According to NBA 2K26, fans of the New York Knicks are in for a season they have been longing for, but will ultimately suffer heartache.
The official 2025-26 NBA season tips off today, but NBA 2K26, which is now the unofficial start to basketball season, has predicted a wide range of outcomes that some fans will appreciate, while others will label it the purest of CAP.
Like with Madden, the folks at 2K decided to use NBA 2K26 to simulate the season to determine who would come out on top.
Unsurprisingly, coming out of the West will be last year’s champs, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will defeat the Denver Nuggets in seven games in the Western Conference Finals to defend their title in the NBA Finals.
But what should give a lot of New Yorkers hope is that the game also predicted the New York Knicks, who have a new coach in Mike Woodson, will finally get over the Eastern Conference Finals hump, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games to face the Thunder in hopes of delivering the mecca of basketball its first NBA chip since 1973.
But for Knicks fans, their 2025-26 season will end in heartbreak because the OKC Thunder will repeat as champions, with NBA 2K26 cover athlete, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, grabbing NBA Finals MVP honors and repeating as league MVP.
Other 2K Sim Predictions
We are intrigued to see how accurate this prediction is, given that it is based solely on the NBA 2K26 stat model.
2K also used the latest installment in the popular basketball video game franchise to predict this season’s Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, as well as other stats.
You can see those results below.
Rookie of the Year
Defensive Player of the Year
Most Improved Player
All-NBA Teams
Source: Al Bello / Getty
During his half a decade stint as the head coach of the New York Knicks, Tom Thibodeau earned himself a Coach Of The Year award and led the team to four playoff appearances in his five-year tenure and though fans were mostly relieved to learn the news that Thibodeau had been fired by the team’s owner, James Dolan, Thibs doesn’t seem to harbor any ill will towards the franchise, the fans or the city (unlike a Julius Randle).
A week after the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau following the team’s elimination at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, Tom Thibodeau took out a full-page black-and-white ad in The New York Times to thank the Knicks and the city of New York for helping him live out his “dream job” as he was able to coach the Knicks back to relevancy following decades of pain, scandals and disappointment for fans of the franchise.
“I am grateful that dream became a reality. Thank you to our players and coaching staff who gave everything they had, and to everyone who makes the franchise special. I am proud of everything we accomplished together, including four playoff appearances and this year’s run to the Eastern Conference finals – our first in 25 years.”
Unfortunately for the team, it seemed like Thibs was outreached by Indiana Pacers head coach, Rick Carlisle who seemed to have Thibs number at every twist and turn throughout the series.
With rumors swirling that Thibs was fired by the team after players were interviewed about the situation, it didn’t help that one of the teams top players allegedly said he couldn’t continue to play for Thibodeau next season. Though no names have been leaked as to who might’ve made such a statement, people assume it was one of the Knicks starting five players as Thibs never plays his bench anyway. Another reason many fans wanted Thibs to be relieved of his head coaching duties.
Regardless of how you may have felt about Tom Thibodeau, the man did make the Knicks winners again and helped bring back excitement to the Mecca of Basketball that hadn’t been felt in decades.
Thanks, Thibs.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Getty Images / Indiana Pacers / New York Knicks
It’s no longer orange and blue skies after the NBA’s “most overrated player,” Tyrese Haliburton, and the Indiana Pacers once again sent New York Knicks, Ben Stiller, Timothee Chalamet, Spike Lee, and the rest of the diehard Knickerbocker fans on summer break.
The New York Knicks and their fans thought their 52-year championship drought was coming to an end, but unfortunately, the Indiana Pacers had other plans.
Last night, in a game that started close, the Pacers eventually cruised to a 125-108 Game 6 win over the Knicks, punching their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years to face the Oklahoma City Thunder, where they hope they can win the franchise’s first NBA title.
Out of the gate, the Knicks didn’t let the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd affect them, keeping the contest close, trailing by only four points at halftime. But it was clear they couldn’t keep pace with the Pacers, who turned it on in the second half, ending the third quarter with an 11-point lead that the Knicks couldn’t overcome.
It didn’t help that the Knicks’ offense was stifled by the Pacers’ defense in the second half. The clutch player of the year and Knicks’ top offensive weapon, Jalen Brunson, was held to just 19 points and shot 4/10 at the half because Andrew Nembhard locked him down.
In Games 1-5, Andrew Nembhard defended Jalen Brunson for 49 match-ups, allowing 51.0 player points per 100 match-ups
In Game 6, Nembhard defended Brunson for 55 match-ups, giving up just 9.1 player points per 100 match-ups
He was sensational. pic.twitter.com/VQNoJSo22x
— Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) June 1, 2025
Turnovers Killed The Knicks’ Chances
The Pacers also forced 18 Knicks turnovers, scoring 25 fastbreak points, a recipe for disaster for any team trying to win an Eastern Conference Finals series.
After being stifled in Game 5, Tyrese Haliburton returned to form, scoring 21 points and dishing out 13 assists. However, it was Pascal Siakam’s 31-point performance that helped put the Knicks away for good, earning him the series MVP award, which also provided a classic meme moment.
Tyrese Haliburton thought that Larry Bird ECF MVP trophy was his🤣#NBA #Pacers pic.twitter.com/59eF189mNI
— Caleb Nixon (@calebnixonmedia) June 1, 2025
Jalen Brunson Still Has Confidence In This Knicks Team
Despite solid offensive efforts from OG Anunoby, who led all Knicks scorers with 24 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns with 22, it just wasn’t enough.
It didn’t help that Josh Hart, who has been reliable all season, didn’t leave his mark on the game, scoring only 4 points.
Following the game, Brunson says he still believes in this Knicks team as it is constructed, telling reporters he has “The most confidence, overconfident, seriously,” Brunson said. “There’s not an ounce of any type of doubt that I’m confident with this group.”
Jalen Brunson was asked if he has confidence that Tom Thibodeau is the right coach for the Knicks moving forward:
“Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe if he’s the right guy. Yes.” pic.twitter.com/FRjCO8genL
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) June 1, 2025
A Magical Season Comes To A Bitter End
Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks looked like they were on the verge of a special season after two big playoff series wins, including knocking off the defending champion Boston Celtics.
But it would turn out their biggest test would be the franchise’s longtime rivals, the Indiana Pacers, who have played boogeyman to the Knicks franchise for many years.
Coming into the series, the Knicks had all the momentum, especially after pulling off one of the biggest comebacks in playoff history en route to denying the Celtics the opportunity to defend their 2023-24 NBA championship.
It would turn out that the Knicks would get a taste of their own medicine after they dramatically blew a significant lead in game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, which led to an insane Tyrese Haliburton buzzer-beater to force overtime, where the Knicks came up short, and eventually would go on to lose the series.
TYRESE HALIBURTON BUZZER BEATER FORCES OT 🤯🤯🤯
AND HE DID THE CHOKE SIGN TO THE KNICKS!!! pic.twitter.com/0jufr6naNl
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 22, 2025
As you can imagine, Knicks fans’ emotions are all over the place. Some are proud of their Knickerbockers, while others feel a change is needed, calling for the firing of head coach Tom Thibodeau, whose rotations and refusal to use his bench were once again the subject of discussion.
Tom Thibodeau is just Doc Rivers but plays his stars 48 minutes a game. pic.twitter.com/d2fVTya9Cj
— chickenfried🍗 (@realzachbrown) May 26, 2025
Welp, there’s always next year.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. A proud Knicks fan
I don’t care I’m damn proud of this team.A season full of memoriesTwo All Star startersBack to back 50 win seasonsGreat series win vs DetroitAn upset for the ages vs BostonFirst ECF in 25 yearsIt was an amazing season pic.twitter.com/JWJipMcEsq— KNICKS BEAST (@KnicksBeast) June 1, 2025
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Al Bello / Getty
For the past few weeks the New York Knicks playoff run has had all of New York in a chokehold as last second shots and big time comeback wins have given New Yorkers reason to celebrate and act-a-fool, but one particular fan has taken his love of the team to a new and entertaining level.
According to Page Six, a Brooklyn-based audio engineer and musician by the name of Doug Berns has been making a name for himself on social media by releasing his own remixed versions of New York Knicks game recaps that feature some music performed by the Brooklyn dad. Breaking down how each game stirred up emotions in his Knicks loving soul that millions of New Yorkers have been dealing with for the past few weeks, Berns has been going through the motions for months now and said the inspiration for his idea came due to “The emotional roller coaster of investing in this team is really, really intense. My songs tell the stories of those roller coasters, I hope.”
Page Six reports:
While Berns started the project with the goal of writing one original metal song inspired by a Knicks game, he found that musical parodies of ‘90s rock and hip hop tunes resonated deeply with audiences – and his videos have since drawn over 15,000 Instagram followers and millions of views since he began the series on Nov. 13 after a win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
“My wheelhouse is music that I grew up listening to, and a lot of my millennial contemporaries are Knick fans that grew up in the last golden age of Knicks basketball,” Berns told The Post. “Most of [the parodies] are songs that swirl around in our emotional hearts and minds.”
In the months since Berns launched the endeavor, he’s found fans in filmmaker Spike Lee, as well as Knicks players Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart — who showcased one of Berns’ songs on their podcast Roommates Show.
The musical recaps really are hella entertaining and hilarious.
While most New Yorkers may be scared to look silly or even ridiculous by expressing their love of the Knicks in such a way, Berns has no issue with such judgement from others and is proud to have gone this route for the team he truly loves.
“I feel like I’ve been searching for a way to express my talent and fandom and personality for a long time, and I found it with this thing,” he added. “My goal is to continue giving fans this thing that makes them happy: win or lose.
“It’s a little microcosm of [the team’s] successes and failures and triumphs and rejection,” he added. “Music is a way of telling stories of people’s lives, and I think doing both is a meta way to look at all of that.”
Check out some of Doug Bern’s Knick game musical recaps and let us know your thoughts about his clips in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Boston Globe / Getty / Jayson Tatum
It’s not looking good for the Boston Celtics right now. After a strong regular season, they were heading into the playoffs with a high chance of repeating as NBA champions. Now, they are on the brink of elimination and will likely have to pull off the impossible without their star player, Jayson Tatum.
The Boston Celtics came into their Conference Semifinals matchup with the New York Knicks as prohibitive favorites. However, they flopped in both home games, surrendering 20-point leads, allowing Jalen Brunson and the Knicks to steal two games in TD Garden.
The Celtics did find their form in Game 3 and didn’t relinquish their massive lead, smoking the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, leaving many to believe they have found their groove.
Then came Game 4, which was a repeat of Games 1 and 2, but this time the Celtics will limp back to Boston down 3-1 and likely without superstar Jayson Tatum, who left the game with what looked like a serious non-contact leg injury, an unfortunate end for what was one of his best games in the series.
After he was taken off the court, a visibly emotional Tatum was wheelchaired back to the Celtics locker room, covering his face to hide his tears.
The Sports World Reacts To Jayson Tatum’s Scary Injury
The reactions to the scary injury, many speculate, could be a torn Achilles, were instant, with names like LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, and more all throwing up prayers for the NBA champion.
There’s still no word on the severity of Tatum’s injury, with his head coach, Joe Mazulla, saying his star player will undergo an MRI. But if the Celtics can extend it, chances are very high we will not see Big Deuce for Game 4 or the remainder of this series.
The sports world is awaiting the results of that MRI. Until it comes, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Julian Edelman
2. Grant Williams
3. Isaiah Thomas
4. Jalen Brunson speaks on the injury following the game
5. Karl-Anthony Towns
6. Josh Hart
7. Kendrick Perkins
8. Ben Stiller
9. Skip Bayless
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson proved why he was named this year’s Kia Clutch Player of the Year after delivering a huge three-point make against the Detroit Pistons in their first-round series. Despite a spirited performance from the upstart Pistons, Jalen Brunson, who seemingly lives for these moments, dropped the dagger from beyond the arc and sank the hopes of Detroit.
The Knicks visited the Pistons with a 3-2 advantage in their best-of-seven series, which got testy in game 4 with the Pistons showing plenty of fight in the contest and coming away with the win. It appeared that the Pistons were on their way to capturing the win on their home court, but the tight defense of the Knicks and their hot shooting tied things up towards the end of regulation.
Brunson faced yet another round of boos and insults from fans and a relentless onslaught of speed, offense, and defense from Detroit’s young core of Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren. However, with the game tied 113-all and just 20 seconds on the clock, Brunson tied the cape around his neck and went to work.
With the much taller Thompson guarding him, Brunson shrugged off the coverage, hit a crossover dribble, and drained one of the biggest three-pointers of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. After hitting the shot, Brunson blew kisses to the crowd, and the Pistons made an effort to score, but the Knicks’ defensive scheme headed off their plans.
Brunson and the New York Knicks will now face the defending champion Boston Celtics in what’s expected to be a must-see series.
On X, Jalen Brunson’s clutch heroics were the top-trending topic. We’ve got reactions below.
—
Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Tracy Morgan is one of the dozens of celebrities who attend New York Knicks games and has become quite the fixture at Madison Square Garden. However, fans are more concerned with Tracy Morgan’s health than his celebrity status after the comedian and actor had what appeared to be a medical episode while at a recent game.
Tracy Morgan, 56, sat courtside on Monday (March 17) to watch the New York Knicks take on the Miami Heat. While the Knicks game didn’t air on national markets, the news of Morgan falling ill moved swiftly via the X social media platform and the reactions came in fast. Much of what was said was speculative as details surrounding the incident are still developing.
In a report from PEOPLE, the outlet shared an X post from @RealJoshBrownie that showed a video of Morgan being helped by emergency medical staff from the court floor after vomiting. Morgan was also reportedly bleeding from the nose as he was helped to his feet and was ultimately taken out of Madison Square Garden via wheelchair.
Tracy Morgan getting wheeled out from courtside at MSG .. bleeding from nose .. could barely stand up … hope he’s ok pic.twitter.com/E61zXqQQ8H
— RealJoshBrownie (@realJoshBrownie) March 18, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The medical incident took place around the third quarter of the Knicks-Heat matchup and delayed the game for 10 minutes as staff rushed to address the matter. MSG officials told the outlet, “We hope Tracy feels better soon and look forward to seeing him back courtside.”
The outlet adds that it reached out to Morgan’s reps but did not receive a response.
Tracy Morgan has battled health issues over the years, including receiving a kidney transplant. The SNL alum also was severely injured in a 2014 automobile crash and his long road to recovery has become part of both his standup act and his testimony.
On X, fans of Morgan are sharing their warm thoughts as he continues to heal from this latest incident.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: @NBA_NewYork / Twitter
Fat Joe is trending yet again for a fashion faux pas. He is getting absolutely cooked online for his purple fur coat and hat combination that he wore to a recent Knicks game.
As spotted on HipHopDX Don Cartegena attended the New York Knicks versus the Sacramento Kings game at Madison Square Garden. As usual he was seated court side but his outfit left many questioning his style sense. Fat Joe was sporting a purple fur coat with a matching a Russian ushanka style hat to match. The official Knicks account shared a photo of him to X, formerly Twitter, and the outfit was met with slander, confusion and more.
“He looks f*cking ridiculous,” one user wrote while another chimed in saying “Bro TRIPPIN”. The photo soon went viral and the Knicks account went on to post a different shot of Fat Joe with new caption that read “Moving in mauve” but that didn’t stop the jokes from coming his way. It seemed he brought the team a bit of good luck as the New York Knicks beat the Sacramento Kings 143-120.
You can read some of the most hilarious responses to Fat Joe’s purple fur outfit below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Nike / NIke
The classic and once super rare Nike x Wu-Tang Clan Dunks in the black and yellow silhouette will be returning to shelves Nov. 9 on the Nike SNKRS app and select sneaker boutiques.
A few weeks ago, Nike shock dropped the coveted Wu-Tang Clan Nike Dunks on their SNKRS app. While millions of Wu-Tang fans took L’s on the sudden release, they’ll be getting another crack at owning a pair as a release date has been officially set.
To hype up the upcoming drop (as if they needed to), they’ve incorporated the talents of the New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart to hype up the release. Standing alongside The Abbot himself, The RZA, the Nova Knicks throw up the “W” in solidarity with the Hip-Hop legend from Shaolin.
We need those kicks in our lives.
While the young’ns these days aren’t up on the Wu like the OGs, we don’t expect these to be an easy cop as sneakerheads will be coming out in droves to own a pair of these classics once release day comes around.
“These Dunks are important to me and the Wu-Tang legacy because of the cultural impact they’ve had since their original release,” says Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA in a statement. “For many years, the sneaker world was reserved for athletes and some entertainers, and Nike recognizing us in this way is a testament to hip-hop and our contribution to culture.”
No word on how many pairs will be available but with a $600 resale price tag on the ones that dropped a few weeks ago, they’ll definitely be hard to get regardless of availability.
Will you be trying to cop a pair of the Wu-Tang Dunks come Nov. 9? Let us know in the comments section and see more detailed pics below.
1. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Dunk
2. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk x New York Knicks
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk x New York Knicks
3. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
4. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
5. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
6. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk x New York Knicks
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk x New York Knicks
7. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
8. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
9. Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
Source:NIke
Nike Wu-Tang Clan Dunk
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Elsa / Getty
And just like that, the New York Knicks Cinderella story comes to an end as the injury plagued team was routed by a red-hot Indiana Pacers team in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon (May 19).
As ESPN, reports, the Indiana Pacers set a playoff mark with their hot shooting in the first half of the game and though they cooled off in the second half they still ended the game with a 67.1% field goal percentage which is the highest ever recorded in an NBA playoff game. Fittingly, the Knicks superstar point guard, Jalen Brunson suffered a season ending injury in the second half of the game when he fractured his hand and was pulled from the game as the Knicks saw their playoff dreams slip away at the hands of a fully healthy Pacers squad.
Per ESPN:
It was the greatest shooting half in a playoff game on record, beating the 74% the San Antonio Spurs shot during the 2014 NBA Finals in a performance that left some thinking that was one of the finest displays of offensive basketball ever. And the Pacers beat it.
The Knicks made a push in the third quarter, thanks largely to a series of 3-pointers from DiVincenzo (37 points). He ended up with nine treys for the game, setting a Knicks playoff record. Those 3s and some rare defensive stops cut the Pacers’ lead from 22 points down to seven and had the Knicks fans thinking they might see something to remember after all.
Had the Knicks even somehow pulled off a miracle on 34th street and won the game, they’d certainly be swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals without their floor general in Jalen Brunson who was struggling with his game before fracturing his hand on a play in the 3rd quarter.
It was already a tough day for Brunson, who was just 6-of-17 shooting for 17 points before exiting.
“It’s a part of the game and, like I said, this group, we didn’t make excuses for anything,” Brunson said. “And so if things happen, we go forward with what we had. Obviously we wanted everyone healthy.”
Unfortunately for the Knicks, health was in short order this season as every one of their starters had been sidelined by the time Game 7 rolled around. With four bench players in the starting lineup and Jalen Brunson leading the charge, many considered it a miracle that the Knicks lasted as long as they did in the playoffs.
This is probably the first time that the Knicks got eliminated from the playoffs and New York fans were still happy and grateful with how the season turned out.
Respect.
