The New York Knicks captured their first NBA championship in 53 years last June, and San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper credits a courtside spell from Jay-Z for helping turn the tide. Harper revealed that the rapper's intense heckling during the Finals became a major distraction, coinciding with the Spurs' collapse after building a large series lead. The Knicks' title run capped a dominant playoff stretch, highlighted by a recent 130-93 demolition of the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 26 as part of a four-game winning streak.
In a recent interview, the Spurs' second-year guard opened up about the mental battle of the NBA Finals. Harper discussed trying to ignore prominent Knicks fans like Jay-Z and actor Michael Rainey Jr. He admitted it was a struggle. At a key moment, Jay-Z reportedly stood up, yelled "Come on!" and formed the iconic Roc-A-Fella diamond with his hands. Harper described the moment as impactful, saying the team's performance deteriorated immediately afterward. "We started losing. Things went downhill from there," Harper stated.
The Knicks were relentless throughout their postseason campaign. Their path included a commanding Eastern Conference Finals sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers. They closed that series with decisive victories of 115-104 and 109-93 at home before winning Games 3 and 4 on the road 121-108 and 130-93. This gave them a formidable 4W-0D-1L record in their last five playoff games, with the lone loss coming in the previous round. Their offensive firepower was on full display, scoring 136 points against the Chicago Bulls in the first round. You can review the team's full playoff journey and stats on our stats page.
Despite the loss, Harper had a breakout series for the Spurs. The 2025 No. 2 overall pick averaged 18 points per game in the Finals, logging over 31 minutes per contest. He saved his best for last, scoring 21 points in Game 4 and erupting for 25 points in Game 5. His playoff averages of 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists were a significant jump from his solid rookie regular season, where he put up 11.8 points and 3.9 assists per game. His emergence sets up an intriguing rivalry for the coming seasons.
The Knicks enter the 2026-27 season as defending champions, a position they haven't held in over five decades. Their dramatic Finals win, which saw them overcome a 29-point deficit in Game 4 against San Antonio, cemented their place in franchise history. The team will look to build on this success and defend their title. The Spurs, meanwhile, will be seeking revenge after their painful Finals defeat. They begin their preseason schedule on October 8 against the Atlanta Hawks. For the Knicks, the focus now shifts to maintaining their championship standard and managing a roster full of players who have just reached the NBA mountaintop.
