Mike Brown surprisingly says New York Knicks won’t win 2026 NBA Championship

That hesitation reflects the reality of where the Knicks stand. They’ve now lost back-to-back close games, including a 109-108 defeat in Game 3, where they erased a large deficit only to fall short in the final moments.

New York Knicks’ late-game issues leave series hanging in balance

Beyond the tone of Brown’s comments, the on-court issues are becoming harder to ignore.

“The reality of it is, it’s seven games and you take one game at a time,” Brown stated. “Each game is its own entity, and that’s what I told the group, and this should sting because we gave ourselves a chance knowing that we didn’t play our best basketball.”

“So it should sting, but we need to feel it and get ready to be locked in for the next game, which we will be,” the Knicks coach concluded.

New York has been in a position to control this series but has repeatedly let games slip late. Turnovers, inconsistent shooting, and struggles from key role players have all played a part in putting them behind.

Game 3 was a perfect example. After falling behind big early, the Knicks fought back to give themselves a chance, only to fail to execute in the final possession. It’s a pattern that has defined the series so far.

Now, heading into Game 4, the margin for error is gone. Another loss would push them to the brink of elimination, making Brown’s cautious tone feel less like humility and more like realism.

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