2015 Playoffs WCF Game 6 vs Houston Rockets

Western Conference Power Dynamics

The Thunder, led by two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, secured the league's top seed with a dominant 64–18 record, marking their second consecutive year winning the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. They entered the playoffs as defending champions alongside the Spurs, who boasted reigning Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama and held the second-best record in the conference. While the Thunder began their run with an impressive eight-game winning streak, sweeping both the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers to become only the fourth team ever to start a postseason 8–0, their dominance was ultimately halted by San Antonio. In the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs defeated the heavily favored Thunder in a grueling seven-game series, ending Oklahoma City's title defense and advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in twelve years.

Eastern Conference Resilience and Upsets

The Eastern Conference playoffs were characterized by historic collapses and remarkable comebacks that reshaped the path to the championship. The second-seeded Boston Celtics suffered a shocking early exit, blowing a 3–1 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round; this marked the first time in franchise history that Philadelphia had overcome such a deficit. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons, who had secured the top seed for the first time since 2007, also overcame a 3–1 hole to defeat the Orlando Magic, winning their first playoff series since 2008.

The tournament's ultimate surprise was the third-seeded New York Knicks, who emerged as serious contenders by defeating the Atlanta Hawks before sweeping both the 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Notably, the Knicks secured blowout victories in the closeout games of all three rounds, becoming the second team in NBA history after the 2017 Warriors to win thirteen consecutive playoff games en route to their first Finals appearance in 27 years.

Historic Comebacks and Championship Drama

The Knicks began strongly by winning the first two games on the road, a feat not seen since 1995. However, Game 4 remains the series' defining moment; trailing by 27 points at halftime and down 81–52 in the third quarter, New York executed the largest comeback in Finals history to win 107–106. The momentum continued into Game 5, where the Knicks overcame another double-digit deficit to secure a four-point victory and clinch their third championship overall. This triumph ended a 53-year title drought for the franchise and marked the first time an NBA team had won both the NBA Cup and the championship in the same year, with several media outlets hailing it as one of the best series of the decade.

Individual Excellence and Legacy Milestones

In the decisive Game 5 closeout on the road, Brunson scored 45 points, tying Michael Jordan for the second-most points ever recorded in a Finals clincher played away from home. The series itself was statistically unique, becoming the first since 1975 where multiple games were decided by a single point. Furthermore, the outcome of these playoffs resulted in the eighth unique champion in NBA history, extending the longest such streak across the league and cementing this tournament as a pivotal moment for both the Knicks franchise and Brunson's individual career.