Both the No. 3 New York Knicks and the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers came into the 2025-26 regular season expecting to be here in the Eastern Conference finals.That was before a flawed, injury-plagued Raptors team took the Cavs to seven games, before the Knicks seemed ready to surrender in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks and before Cleveland dropped the first two games of their second-round series against the 60-win, top-seeded Detroit Pistons.Both teams righted their ships: The Knicks are riding a seven-game winning streak where they outscored their opponents by an NBA-record 185 points. The Cavs, who hadn’t won on the road prior to their series with the Pistons, won their last two away from home, including Game 7 in Detroit 125-94. They have the star power to make this series interesting.The Knicks were here last season and lost to the Indiana Pacers (coincidentally, another 3-4 matchup) in six games. That loss cost coach Tom Thibodeau his job. This season, the Knicks, now coached by Mike Brown, are in the best position to make their first NBA Finals since 1999, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.This is the Cavaliers’ first conference finals since 2018 (which was their last of four in a row) and their first without LeBron James since 1992. All-Star Donovan Mitchell has finally made a conference finals for the first time in his nine-year career. He and backcourt mate James Harden will need to be spectacular if the Cavs want to top the red-hot (not Red Holzman) Knicks.Can the Knicks make their first NBA Finals since before the turn of the 21st century? Can the Cavs continue to build on two tough series wins? We asked James Edwards III, Fred Katz, Tony Jones, Hunter Patterson and Joe Vardon for their takes on the Eastern Conference finals.Why did the Knicks and Cavaliers win their second-round series?James Edwards III on the Knicks: The Knicks have been a well-oiled machine since facing a 2-1 series deficit to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. Other than the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks are the only postseason team that ranks in the top three in points scored and allowed per 100 possessions. New York bullied Philadelphia in the second round with a combination of elite shot-making and pressure defense. They were too much for a 76ers team that resembled a walking corpse by the end.Fred Katz on the Knicks: The same reason why Mike Tyson was not allowed to fight against featherweights. Unfortunately for the 76ers, the NBA doesn’t classify teams with the same type of mercy. The 76ers looked tired, injured and shallow, relying on only six guys for most of a short series. The Knicks, in turn, looked like they found themselves. Karl-Anthony Towns continued his brilliant two-way play. Jalen Brunson scored aplenty with outlandish efficiency. Mikal Bridges returned to form and then some, shutting down Sixers star Tyrese Maxey. The role players all stepped up at different moments. The Knicks’ sweep wasn’t even as close as the 89-point differential would suggest.Tony Jones on the Knicks: Because the Knicks were better. Much better. Infinitely better. Better to the point of making the other franchise go through a major change. There were so many questions about some of the changes Brown had made earlier in the season, but they have clearly made the Knicks a much better and more viable playoff team. They are much less heliocentric around Brunson. They are a much deeper team because Brown experimented with his player rotations during the regular season. They look like a team that should be a heavy conference finals favorite and a threat to win the NBA title.Hunter Patterson on the Cavaliers: The Cavaliers had more offensive firepower than the Pistons. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden took turns attacking Detroit’s defense, specifically targeting Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson when possible to create advantages. Once Cleveland built momentum, it never looked back and eliminated Detroit.Joe Vardon on the Cavaliers: I told someone the other day they had no pulse, and I meant that in an endearing way. They shrug off the highs and the lows, and that’s what it took to advance after getting obliterated at home in Game 6. Beyond that, Cleveland had more depth of top-level talent. Mitchell, Harden, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley each had great moments during this series. They were able to combine forces enough to outshine a stellar series from Cade Cunningham. And finally, people laughed because I asked Max Strus if he put on weight while he was out, but look, he played big in this series — physically and emotionally. For the too-cool-for-school Cavs (again, endearing), Strus provided just enough fire to get them going when they were down 2-0 in this series and again when they won Game 5 in Detroit. What did we learn about the Knicks and Cavaliers that should carry forward to the next series?Edwards on the Knicks: We learned the Knicks’ bench is legit. Miles McBride stepped up in place of the injured OG Anunoby and scored 25 points in Game 4. Landry Shamet, who was taken out of the rotation at the start of the Hawks series, scored a combined 27 points in Games 3 and 4 against the 76ers. Jordan Clarkson has made a consistent impact throughout these playoffs. Mitchell Robinson is healthy and contributing.Unlike Atlanta and Philadelphia, Cleveland has a strong bench, as well. The Cavaliers usually go nine deep with four bench players who can impact a game. There’s a world where this series comes down to the second units.Katz on the Knicks: Bridges’ on-ball defense was magnificent against the Sixers, as he never let the All-Star Maxey get comfortable. He will be put to the test again in the conference finals. The Cavaliers rely on a couple of scoring monsters at guard: Mitchell and Harden. Surely, Bridges will spend time on each of them. Both are different from the speedster, Maxey. Harden is a prodding, manipulative guard who wants defensive hands to get caught in the cookie jar. Bridges would have to beware Harden’s stepback 3-pointer. Mitchell has a mix of speed and power. Josh Hart will receive time on those guys. Anunoby should, too. The Knicks’ wings have carried their defense throughout this playoff run. They’ll be especially important against Cleveland.Jones on the Knicks: They are the best team in the Eastern Conference, and if they lose at any point before the NBA Finals, it should be considered a failure. There isn’t a better collective roster in the East. The Knicks are versatile. They shoot the ball well. They move the ball well. They defend well and have more usable depth than the Cavaliers. It’s not to say they are guaranteed to win the series. But if the Cavaliers triumph, it should be considered an upset. The Knicks look like a team that’s been through multiple playoff battles and knows that now is its time to break through.Patterson on the Cavs: We knew Harden and Mitchell were elite offensively, but the second-round series showed just how reliable Mobley can be moving forward, specifically when defending against Towns. While Mobley averaged fewer points and assists against the Pistons than he did against the Raptors, he posted 2.7 blocks and 7.4 rebounds in the second round. Aside from Ausar Thompson, Mobley was the next-best defender in the second-round series and has the potential to shift the conference finals in the Cavaliers’ favor if he can sustain this level of engagement.Vardon on the Cavs: The Knicks have the size and versatility on the perimeter to slow Harden and Mitchell. They can assign Brunson, if they’d like, to guard Dean Wade, who doesn’t shoot. But the Cavs also showed they could handle big centers by making life difficult for Jaren Duren in the conference semifinals, so I like Allen and Mobley against Robinson and KAT. I was surprised by the way the Knicks overwhelmed the Sixers, but I think this might be a little better matchup than people give it credit for.What are you watching the most closely about the Knicks and Cavaliers as they move forward?Edwards on the Knicks: How healthy is Anunoby? Hamstring injuries are as tricky as any injury a player can have, and while New York has constantly downplayed the strain Anunoby suffered in Game 2 of the sweep against the 76ers, he did miss the final two games of the series and took a few days to participate fully in practice. Anunoby is a huge reason New York’s defense has been one of the best in the NBA in the playoffs, and over the last few months of the regular season.Additionally, Anunoby was having the best offensive stretch of his career before going down. In eight playoff games, the 28-year-old is averaging 21.4 points while shooting 61.9 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from 3 on 4.8 attempts per game.Even if Anunoby is able to play in Game 1, it’s fair to wonder how his hamstring will hold up over the course of a series. Plus, will he remain in an offensive rhythm after so much time off?Katz on the Knicks: How can the Cavaliers make up for the inevitable rebounding disparity? Yes, Cleveland starts with two big men: Mobley and Allen. And yes, the Cavs have fared well on the offensive boards during this playoff run. But they also get bullied on the other end. Even in losses, the Pistons recovered miss after miss against them. The Knicks are similar. Cleveland must face 48 minutes of Towns or Mitchell Robinson, the best rebounder in the conference. Sometimes, they’ll play together. Hart is the NBA’s best rebounder at his size, a torpedo crashing for offensive boards.It means the Cavaliers must find other ways to win the possession game. They chuck up a bunch of 3s; maybe that gains them some extra points. They could win the turnover battle. But if both of those battles end up as washes, the Knicks could pull away in this series because their work on the glass earns them extra shots.Jones on the Knicks: Anunoby’s health is the one thing that could derail New York, though that’s not specific to this series. If the Knicks want to win it all, he must be healthy. New York tried to downplay the severity of his hamstring pull in the Philadelphia series, but that injury is dangerous and tricky to navigate, no matter how minor it appears. The good news is the Knicks making quick work of the Sixers granted a lot of time for Anunoby and the Knicks to rest. They will be fresh heading into the conference finals.Patterson on the Cavs: Which version of Harden will show up? It took him a couple games to get going against Detroit, but once he did, he looked like the Harden of old. The Knicks are the deeper team with more cohesion, but Harden has the most postseason experience of any key player in the series. If he can tap into his old ways for the entirety of the series, he can give the Cavaliers a fighting chance.Vardon on the Cavs: The turnovers. That single statistic made the series with Detroit (and certainly with Toronto) closer than it should have been. If Cleveland can stand up to what assuredly will be a similar dose of ball pressure applied by the Knicks, this series gets tighter. The Cavs do a lot of other things well.How do you feel about the Knicks’ or Cavaliers’ title chances after this series?Edwards on the Knicks: I believe the Knicks’ title chances are higher now than before these playoffs began. I had Boston representing the Eastern Conference going into the postseason, and that, clearly, isn’t happening.New York should win this series. Will it win the NBA title? Until Oklahoma City looks mortal, it’s hard to pick against the defending champions. The Thunder still haven’t lost a game in the playoffs and will have home-court advantage.Katz on the Knicks: You have to feel quite good. The Knicks are the favorites to win the Eastern Conference. And while I would not pick anyone to beat the Thunder, once you get to the NBA Finals, anything can happen. The Indiana Pacers may have beaten Oklahoma City last season had their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, not torn his Achilles in Game 7. With the way the Knicks are rolling over anyone who stands in front of them, maybe the Knicks could pull off an upset themselves.Jones on the Knicks: The Knicks are capable of winning it all. They are the one Eastern Conference team with the infrastructure on both ends of the floor to beat either Oklahoma City or San Antonio. They are capable of playing big or playing small. They have a superstar-level offensive talent in Brunson, as well as so many players around him who are capable of making big plays and shots. Brunson’s defense and the lack of rim protection from Towns remain weaknesses, but nobody has come close to exploiting them so far.Patterson on the Cavs: A bit better, but I think whoever comes out of the Western Conference is more equipped to win it all. Cleveland had the advantage offensively against Detroit but won’t against New York, San Antonio or Oklahoma City.Vardon on the Cavs: I said after the first round, I did not feel better or worse about the Cavs’ chances, nor did I feel any way for the rest of the remaining field. I am gonna go ahead and stand by that. Backflips aside over the Knicks’ dismantling of the Sixers, I am not ready to say they, or the Cavs, are currently a suitable opponent for Oklahoma City. Now, I am also making an assumption, aren’t I? Let’s see who’s standing on the other side in two weeks, and how healthy that team is, by the time the Knicks or Cavs get to them. As of now, the East is not the favorite.Prediction for Knicks-Cavaliers and why?Edwards on the Knicks: They have the confidence, experience and fresh legs. It’s hard to get this much rest this deep in the postseason, and while some might believe that could work against New York, I think it will ultimately be beneficial. The Knicks’ offense might not be as dominant because, well, it’s been absurd for the last seven games and shot-making will probably level out, but there’s no reason to expect their defense to be anything but elite. Knicks in six.Katz on the Knicks: Every Cavs game feels like a battle. While Detroit was unquestionably a tougher second-round opponent than the 76ers squad the Knicks faced, this vibe stretches back to mid-April, when Cleveland played with fire against a Toronto Raptors team it should have handled far more easily. The Knicks are flowing in a way I have never seen them flow. I expect them to go to their first NBA Finals since 1999. Knicks in six.Jones on the Knicks: The Knicks are better, more versatile and fresher heading into the series. After surviving two long series to get here, the Cavaliers have a significant amount of wear and tear, which the Knicks simply don’t have. Cleveland is capable of taking New York to places Atlanta and Philadelphia didn’t, especially with Mitchell, Harden and the two big men up front. But at the end of the day, the Knicks should win this one. Knicks in six.Patterson on the Cavs: New York is more well-rested and has the better team. As much momentum as the Cavaliers have established entering the conference finals, the Knicks have more. While Harden has the most postseason experience in the series, New York has more experience as a unit. I expect the Knicks to punch their first ticket to the finals since 1999. Knicks in six.Vardon on the Cavs: Knicks in six, with a caveat. Two Game 7 victories for Cleveland tells me this team is not going to get rattled. We won’t be talking about the lights being too bright this time against the Knicks. Mobley is maturing in these playoffs, and I credit a lot of what’s going on with this team to Harden’s presence. He has had good games and bad, but everyone else around him is calmer and more confident. So, if they get those turnovers under control, the series gets, as I said, much tighter.