New York back in NBA Finals for first time since 1999 after beating Cleveland

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, center, and teammates celebrate after winning Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Monday, May 25, 2026 Sue Ogrocki/AP hide caption toggle caption Sue Ogrocki/AP CLEVELAND — Karl Anthony-Towns had 19 points and 14 rebounds, OG Anunoby scored 17 and the New York Knicks routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 Monday night to complete a four-game sweep of the Eastern Conference finals and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Landry Shamet scored 16 off the bench while Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson had 15 apiece for the Knicks, who became the fourth team to have an 11-game winning streak during their postseason run. The last to do it was Golden State, which had a 15-game run en route to its second title in three seasons in 2017. All but one of the Knicks' wins have been by double digits, with an average margin of victory of 23.7 points. "I feel like the word 'hope' has been gone from the New York Knicks name for a long time and for me to be part of this team that revives hope is something special," Towns said. The Knicks pulled their starters with 7:47 remaining and a 35-point lead as their large contingent of fans loudly chanted "Knicks in four!" New York fans easily outnumbered Cleveland fans as die-hard celebrity fans director Spike Lee, comedian Tracy Morgan and actor Timothée Chalamet and his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, made the trip. …