Over the last 8 years, 13 different teams have made the NBA Finals.
Thatโs nearly half the league.
What an unbelievable era of parity weโre witnessing.
Crazy but true: The last 4 teams to lose in the ECF went on to make the NBA finals the following season
- 2022 Heat -> 2023 ECF champs
- 2023 Celtics -> 2024 ECF champs
- 2024 Pacers -> 2025 ECF champs
- 2025 Knicks -> 2026 ECF champs
- 2026 Cavs -> ???
4 years before Jalen Brunson arrived:
โข No Playoffs
โข No Playoffs
โข 1st Round L
โข No Playoffs
4 years since Jalen Brunson arrived:
โข East Semis
โข East Semis
โข East Finals
โข NBA Champions
He's Top 2 in Knicks history.
And heโs not 2.
Age of 1st Championship:
Duncan โ 23 (5x)
Giannis โ 26 (1x)
Shaq โ 28 (4x)
Jokic โ 28 (1x)
Hakeem โ 31 (2x)
KG โ 32 (1x)
Dirk โ 32 (1x)
History says even the greatest bigs usually have to wait.
Tim Duncan was the exception.
Tim Duncan never had a losing season.
Made the playoffs in all 18 seasons of his career.
Won 5 championships.
All while competing against Kobe and Shaq.
This dude was the definition of sustained greatness.