The Boston Celtics hoped to return to the NBA Finals this year, but the New York Knicks had other plans.

They took the Celtics down with relative ease, sending a message to the rest of the Eastern Conference and the entire NBA.

A video shared by New York Basketball on X showed Brad Stevens giving his honest assessment of the Knicks, who are sure to be a big challenger to his Boston Celtics for years to come.

“We had opportunities to win those first two home games, and then we put ourselves behind the 8-ball. New York gained what I thought was not only confidence but momentum,” Stevens said. “They are peaking. You can see it.”

“They are peaking. You can see it”

– Celtics president Brad Stevens on the Knicks pic.twitter.com/Ri2cM6ekkK

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 20, 2025

Stevens believes the Knicks are peaking, but the question is how long this peak will last.

Is this just the beginning of a long reign for the Knicks or a brief flash in the pan?

All season, most people believed the Eastern Conference would eventually come down to the Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Celtics were the reigning champions, and the top-seeded Cavaliers held a historic record number of wins.

But in the end, it was the Knicks who outlasted both of them, and they aren’t done yet.

They now face the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Knicks have been putting together a strong roster for the last few years, and it is all now finally paying off.

If they are able to go to the Finals, this will be a sign that their hard work has paid off.

But no matter what happens, the Knicks hope to be just as competitive next season.

They aren’t looking to have one brief season of greatness, and they want to run the East for a long time.

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