It’s been 27 years since the New York Knicks have reached the NBA Finals. That’s almost three decades of losing, of lotteries without picks, of internal dysfunction and false hope and playoff heartbreak. They could have snapped that drought a year ago but lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Indiana Pacers, 4-2.

They’re closer now than they’ve been at any point this century, just a single victory away from an Eastern Conference title. To win it, they’ll have to beat a Cleveland Cavaliers team that has lost at home just twice this postseason. Even if the Knicks hold a 3-0 series lead, Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson has argued that, according to their internal analytics, they’ve actually outplayed New York in two of the three games but just haven’t made their shots.

How all the Knicks’ big bets are paying off with New York one win from NBA Finals

James Herbert

This isn’t going to be a cakewalk for New York. The Cavaliers are fighting for their season, and realistically many of them are fighting for their jobs. They heard the chorus of trade rumors at the deadline and in the first two rounds. If they get swept by the Knicks, they’re headed for one of the more uncertain offseasons in the NBA. It’s kill or be killed time. 

Here’s what you need to know going into Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals as the Knicks attempt to clinch their first Finals berth since 1999.

Knicks vs. Cavs: Game 4 info

• Time: 8 p.m. ET | Date: Monday, May 25
• Location: Rocket Arena — Cleveland, Ohio
• TV channel: ESPN | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
• Odds (via FanDuel): Knicks -2.5 | O/U: 218.5

Game 4 prediction

The Knicks have won 10 straight games and done so by a historic margin. The Knicks have won their last three series-clinching games by 119 combined points. The Cavaliers have shown little ability to defend the Knicks, especially when Josh Hart’s shots are going in. If the Knicks get on them early, this thing could get ugly pretty quickly. 

The game may be in Cleveland, but New York feels ready to celebrate. This game should be a coronation for a team on one of the more dominant runs through the first three rounds of the playoffs in NBA history. The pick: Knicks -2.5