The Zach Lowe Show
Knicks Take Commanding 3-0 Lead and What to Watch For in Thunder-Spurs!
24 May 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What led the Knicks to a commanding 3-0 lead over the Cavaliers?
Coming up on a special Saturday edition of the Zach Lowe Show, Michael Pina is here. And you know where the New York Knicks are? One game away from their first NBA Finals in 27 years. The New York Knicks. The Knickerbockers of New York City, the greatest city in the world, are finally on the doorstep of making the finals again after a fairly emphatic road win in Cleveland to go up 3-0.
Michael and I talk about the game. Do the Cavs have any chance to get back in this thing? What does the sweep mean for the future of the Cavs? But mostly, let's zoom out and appreciate and admire and think about how did the Knicks get here?
Chapter 2: How has the Knicks roster been built around their small guard?
What's changed for them in the playoffs? Why are they humming like this? And can they actually win the whole goddamn thing for the first time in 53 years? This city is about to go insane if they actually make the finals. The World Cup will be going on here at the same time. I can't even imagine the chaos. But we talk all about the game.
Then we have a quick hitting preview of game four of Spurs Thunder, which unfortunately is now being marred by injuries on both teams. A development that the Knicks are at least sort of watching out of. Half an eye as they try to close out the Cavs on Monday, Memorial Day.
Chapter 3: What factors contributed to the Knicks' recent success in the playoffs?
But the Knicks, 10 straight wins, double digits galore. What a run. We talk all about it coming up on the Zach Lowe Show. The Zach Lowe Show is brought to you by FanDuel. The conference finals are here. Think you know how it'll go down?
Chapter 4: What went wrong for the Cleveland Cavaliers in this series?
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Chapter 5: What insights can we gain from the Knicks' performance against the Cavs?
Download the FanDuel Sportsbook app now and play your game. 21 or over in president-select states. 18 or over in D.C., Kentucky, or Wyoming. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. Welcome to a special Saturday night edition of the Zach Lowe Show. Michael Pina is here.
The New York Knicks, the Knickerbockers of New York City, the greatest city in the world, my home for almost 20 years. A team that went through a long period of incompetence, they became a punchline.
Chapter 6: What should fans watch for in the upcoming Thunder-Spurs Game 4?
There were impromptu gatherings of fans demanding that James Dolan sell the team. There was a sexual harassment lawsuit.
Chapter 7: How do injuries affect the dynamics of the Thunder-Spurs series?
They became a joke. It's been 27 years since they were in the NBA Finals. It's been 53 years since they won an NBA title, and they just methodically beat down the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight to go up 3-0. No one has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA. It will happen at some point. I don't think this is a series where it's going to happen.
The Knicks, my preseason pick to make the finals, are on an all-time historic run. Ten straight wins. I didn't even check the final score.
Chapter 8: What are the implications of the Knicks' potential finals appearance?
It was another double-digit win for the Knicks. 13 points on the road. Obliterating everyone. And Pina, we talked all year. I talked all year about how the Knicks... They had periods where it just, they found it. They found the flow. They found the rhythm. They just, you could see it like, okay, the thing is functioning. The parts are meshing.
And then they would lose it and it become a little stilted. And you would think, why is everything so hard? And I compared it to the feeling when you have A word, a name, a trivia answer that you know for sure, but it's on the tip of your tongue and you can't quite get it out. They have found it again and they have sustained it and they are rolling through the Eastern Conference.
And I said it after the Philly series. You know, you and I were at MSG for game two. I was at both games one and game two. And after game one, there were people kind of joking around in the corridors after the game. Not anyone affiliated with either team, to be clear. Just there's a million people at these games.
after having watched the game one of Spurs thunder kind of just joking, like, yeah, it's cool win for the Knicks, but this is like the junior varsity bracket of the NBA. And I said it after the Philly series, I think the Knicks can win the title. I think Nick Spurs is a toss up. And I think the Knicks would have a puncher's chance against the Oklahoma city thunder.
Like I said, I've been telling people like 30%, whatever percent, some percent like that, this team is playing awesome and, They have found whatever rhythm and rotation decisions they need to get their full force going. Landry Schammett has been a big part of that. He hit those three back-breaking threes tonight all in a row. What a playoffs for the Knicks. And Knicks fans deserve this.
I've spent almost my entire life surrounded by Knicks fans. I was never one. I am not one. I will never be one. But this is a basketball city and the fans are insane and they have lived through a lot of pain to get here. And here they are. And I don't know where you want to start. Like what struck you from this game? I mean, the Knicks opened up a lead.
They basically held the lead the entire game. They kept them at arm's length the entire game. The Cavs again missed the whole bundle of threes. I hope they are stitching up. Their shot quality champions 2025-2026 banner to go along with the Hawks shot quality championship banner from the Bud era and the Celtics shot quality championship banners. Congratulations to the Cavs on that.
12 of 41 from three. They just haven't been good enough. The Knicks have been too good.
Uh, where do I want to start with this? I mean, you made a really good point just about how the Knicks can win the title. And, you know, after I wrote this column, uh, after they beat the Sixers and you just look at their point differential after 10 playoff games, and it was the highest in the history of the NBA playoffs better.
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