Jalen Brunson prepares the New York Knicks for their title defense season

Following their 2025-26 championship, the New York Knicks enter the 2026-27 season as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Captain Jalen Brunson has instructed his teammates to move past their recent success and adopt a disciplined mindset for the upcoming schedule. Despite significant offseason improvements from rivals like the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat, the Knicks are working to maintain their core group. No team has successfully repeated as NBA champions in nearly a decade. Brunson indicated the squad will not dwell on the past trophy while focusing on the tougher challenges ahead. The organization faces pressure to maintain roster stability as they attempt to become the first team in eight seasons to defend their title.

• 2:33 AMYahoo Sports — Jalen Brunson does not care that the Knicks have a huge target on their backs now