Knicks playoff winning streak: Game 3 win vs. Cavs makes 10 straight postseason victories for NY originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New York Knicks are one win away from a trip to the NBA Finals after taking down the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 TK-TK.
In the process, the Knicks continued their impressive winning streak, as they haven’t lost a game in over a month. Whether it was the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, or Cavaliers, New York has had answers at every turn and produced 10 straight double-digit wins.
It’s been a long time since the Knicks have made it this far in the playoffs, so this dominant stretch is pretty unbelievable. Usually, teams this dominant in the playoffs are a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in their respective conference, but New York has leveled up in the postseason.
While the Knicks still have to close out the Cavaliers, they have put themselves in a position that the organization hasn’t seen in almost three decades. Here’s a breakdown of the Knicks’ incredible winning streak>
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Knicks playoff winning streak
| Date | Round | Game | Opponent | Score |
| April 25 | First round | 4 | @ Hawks | 114-98 |
| April 28 | First round | 5 | vs. Hawks | 126-97 |
| April 30 | First round | 6 | @ Hawks | 140-89 |
| May 4 | Second round | 1 | vs. 76ers | 137-98 |
| May 6 | Second round | 2 | vs. 76ers | 108-102 |
| May 8 | Second round | 3 | @ 76ers | 108-94 |
| May 10 | Second round | 4 | @ 76ers | 144-114 |
| May 19 | Eastern Conference Finals | 1 | vs. Cavaliers | 115-104 (OT) |
| May 21 | Eastern Conference Finals | 2 | vs. Cavaliers | 109-93 |
| May 23 | Eastern Conference Finals | 3 | @ Cavaliers |
Not only have the Knicks won 10 straight games, they have done so in dominant fashion. Since the Knicks only losses during this playoff run were by one point each, New York’s point differential has set NBA records.
The Knicks’ dominance has set several records for highest differential over a certain stretch of games.
So far this postseason, the Knicks have set the record for the highest point differential in playoff history over…
3-game span: +119
4-game span: +135
5-game span: +141
6-game span: +169
7-game span: +185
8-game span: +196
9-game span: +212
10-game span: +211
11-game span:… pic.twitter.com/wTRaxrweRO— Crazy Stats (@NBAcrazystats) May 22, 2026
Additionally, the 10-straight wins by double-digits is tied for the longest winning streak by double-digits in NBA playoff history.
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Longest playoff winning streaks of all time
| Team | Year | Winning streak |
| Golden State Warriors* | 2017 | 15 |
| San Antonio Spurs* | 1999 | 12 |
| Los Angeles Lakers* | 2001 | 11 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 1989 | 11 |
| New York Knicks | 2026 | 10 |
| Boston Celtics* | 2024 | 10 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 2017 | 10 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers* | 2016 | 10 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 2012 | 10 |
| New Jersey Nets | 2003 | 10 |
*Won NBA title*
The longest playoff winning streak in NBA history belongs to the Golden State Warriors, who went a stellar 16-1 during the 2017 postseason. The Warriors began their playoff run with 15 straight wins, sweeping their way through the Western Conference and winning the first three games of the NBA Finals before the Cavaliers took Game 4 to ruin a perfect postseason.
For the most part, teams that reach a winning streak of 10 games in the NBA playoffs usually go on to win the NBA Finals. Of the nine who reached this mark before the Knicks, five won the NBA title, while three more lost in the NBA Finals. That includes 2017, when the Warriors and Cavs played each other in the NBA Finals after double-digit winning streaks, so someone had to lose.
Last times Knicks were in NBA Finals
The Knicks have not made it to the NBA Finals since 1999, when they had a Cinderella playoff run as a No. 8 seed. However, New York ran into a buzzsaw Spurs team that year, who completed their 12-game winning streak with a 4-1 series win in the Finals.
Those 1999 Knicks featured Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, Larry Johnson, and Latrell Sprewell and reached the NBA Finals in a shortened season. New York went 27-23 in the regular season and upset the No. 1 seed Miami Heat in the first round, the No. 4 Atlanta Hawks in the second round, and the No. 2 Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. However, the Spurs were too much in the NBA Finals, winning the series in five games.