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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Claire de Lune

The year of New York and the Thunder weren’t inevitable: 15 things we learned from the NBA playoffs

The New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O'Brien trophy after defeating the Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA finals on Saturday in San Antonio.
The New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O'Brien trophy after defeating the Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA finals on Saturday in San Antonio. Photograph: Darren Abate/AP

The year of New York

Sometimes it’s just your year. When infectiously optimistic young mayor Zohran Mamdani was elected this past fall, there was a palpable vibe shift in the city. That’s not to say that there’s a direct correlation between the New York Knicks being NBA champions and the era of buoyant positivity permeating the city, but it’s also not to say there’s not one. Other American cities will, inevitably, have their moment in the sun again soon. But 2026 is the year of New York (someone get that memo to the Mets).

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