The New York Knicks clinched the 2025-26 NBA championship tonight with a 94-90 win at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center to beat the Spurs 4-1 in the series and complete a gentleman’s sweep.
Following the game, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges decided to address the Knicks’ critics who claimed that the team had sacrificed a major portion of their draft assets to put this team together.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be here. Forget those picks. Forget those picks, dawg! We’re here!” Hart said during the trophy ceremony while tapping Mikal Bridges on his head in celebration.
Josh Hart on Mikal Bridges: “Forget them picks, dawg” 🤣 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/4o6iOu3qa8
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 14, 2026
Josh Hart finished the game with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists while going 4-11 from the field (36.4 FG%) and 3-6 from beyond the three-point line (50.0 3P%). When Bridges, Hart, and the rest of the Knicks players headed to the tunnels, the crowd also began chanting, but with an adjustment to Hart’s words.
“F–k them picks!” some fans in the crowd yelled.
Mikal Bridges walked off the floor in San Antonio to some “—- those picks” chants from Knicks fans pic.twitter.com/KeWWJgyeGD
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 14, 2026
Even though the Knicks gave multiple draft assets to get players like Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns to the team, the most expensive player in terms of draft assets traded out to get his services was Mikal Bridges.
At the postgame press conference, Bridges also spoke about the crowd chanting in celebration with him as he entered the tunnel.
“Are you talking about ‘F— the picks’?” Bridges clarified.
“Just grateful, just very grateful… But yeah, like f–k’em. You know all the times I’ve been struggling, and I got the fans on me. The thing about me is that I want to always be better. So you know, no matter how they feel, I always want to be better.”
“Hope I’m still here, you know, continuing to keep that edge. Keep pushing me because if they strongly believe that we have a chance every year and they really strongly believe they need me to be better.”
“I’m already thinking that, so I appreciate the tough love. I know some fans might be a little bit crazier than others, but the ones that truly care and want me to be better, don’t stop now, just keep pushing me.”
“I know sometimes I’ll struggle this and that, but just know I’m gonna keep working, and if they keep you know egging me on and talking a little s–t, that’s alright. I’m pretty tough, I’ll be alright,” Bridges concluded.
The Knicks gave up four of their own unprotected first-round picks to land Mikal Bridges in 2024 (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031). This was often seen as a major downside of having landed Bridges (that they had to sacrifice a major chunk of their future). But now the basketball gods have rewarded New York with their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Bridges finished Game 5 with 14 points, four assists, and two rebounds while going 5-10 from the field (50.0 FG%) and 3-7 from beyond the arc (42.9 3P%). He hit some crucial shots to help boost the offense on a night where Jalen Brunson was almost carrying the offense alone.
Do you think the Knicks were right to sacrifice their future to win now with Bridges? Or do they have a decent roster that they can continue to dominate with for multiple more seasons? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
