ENS

Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Article
Level
3 / B1
Published
Title
Knicks Win NBA Championship
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-06-14-knicks-win-nba-championship/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: Main Idea, True or False, Put Events in Order, Multiple Choice

Language: Words That Go Together

Use It: Discussion Builder, Sentence Unscramble, Discussion Questions

Answers

(1) Do you enjoy playing or watching basketball?

(2) Which sports teams are popular where you live?

A New York Knicks logo in front with silhouettes of basketball players in action around the logo.
The New York Knicks.

Vocab List

championship (n.) — The final win or title in a sports competition.
disappointment (n.) — A sad feeling when something is not as good as hoped.
celebration (n.) — A happy event or action for something good.
heartbreak (n.) — A very sad feeling after something bad or disappointing happens.
crowd (n.) — A large group of people in one place.
arena (n.) — A large building or place for sports or shows.
victory (n.) — A win in a game, fight, or competition.
ticker-tape parade (n.) — A big public parade to celebrate an important person, team, or event.
decade (n.) — A period of ten years.
near miss (n.) — A time when someone almost succeeds but does not.
Reading

New York Knicks fans waited more than 50 years for this moment. On Saturday night, the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 and won their first NBA championship since 1973.

The game was played in San Antonio, Texas, but the streets of New York were full of celebration too. Crowds filled parts of Manhattan, including areas near Times Square. Fans shouted, hugged, and celebrated late into the night.

Some Knicks fans even traveled to Texas to see the game in person. Elizabeth Madigan flew from New York to San Antonio before the game. She said she had waited almost her whole life for the Knicks to win again. “Knicks forever,” she said after the victory.

The win ended decades of disappointment for the team. The Knicks had not reached the NBA Finals since 1999. That year, they also played the Spurs, but they lost. This time, they finished the job.

For many fans, it did not matter that the Knicks won away from Madison Square Garden, their famous home arena. New York was still full of excitement.

The city will hold a ticker-tape parade and a ceremony at City Hall to celebrate the championship. The mayor also asked fans to enjoy the night safely. After years of near misses and heartbreak, Knicks fans finally have another championship.

Knicks Win NBA Championship

Level 3 Article Source: bbc.com
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

A New York Knicks logo in front with silhouettes of basketball players in action around the logo.
The New York Knicks.

New York Knicks fans waited more than 50 years for this moment. On Saturday night, the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 and won their first NBA championship since 1973.

The game was played in San Antonio, Texas, but the streets of New York were full of celebration too. Crowds filled parts of Manhattan, including areas near Times Square. Fans shouted, hugged, and celebrated late into the night.

Some Knicks fans even traveled to Texas to see the game in person. Elizabeth Madigan flew from New York to San Antonio before the game. She said she had waited almost her whole life for the Knicks to win again. “Knicks forever,” she said after the victory.

The win ended decades of disappointment for the team. The Knicks had not reached the NBA Finals since 1999. That year, they also played the Spurs, but they lost. This time, they finished the job.

For many fans, it did not matter that the Knicks won away from Madison Square Garden, their famous home arena. New York was still full of excitement.

The city will hold a ticker-tape parade and a ceremony at City Hall to celebrate the championship. The mayor also asked fans to enjoy the night safely. After years of near misses and heartbreak, Knicks fans finally have another championship.

Speaker: American Male  Duration: 1:45  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

New York Knicks fans waited more than 50 years for this moment. On Saturday night, the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 and won their first NBA (1) since 1973.

The game was played in San Antonio, Texas, but the streets of New York were full of (2) too. Crowds filled parts of Manhattan, including areas near Times Square. Fans shouted, hugged, and celebrated late into the night.

Some Knicks fans even traveled to Texas to see the game in person. Elizabeth Madigan flew from New York to San Antonio before the game. She said she had waited almost her whole life for the Knicks to win again. "Knicks forever," she said after the (3) .

The win ended decades of (4) for the team. The Knicks had not reached the NBA Finals since 1999. That year, they also played the Spurs, but they lost. This time, they finished the job.

For many fans, it did not matter that the Knicks won away from Madison Square Garden, their famous home (5) . New York was still full of excitement.

The city will hold a ticker-tape (6) and a ceremony at City Hall to celebrate the championship. The mayor also asked fans to enjoy the night safely. After years of near misses and heartbreak, Knicks fans finally have another championship.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Discussion Builder

  1. Q: Some fans traveled to San Antonio for the game. Would you travel to see your team play in a different city? Why or why not?

    A:

  2. Q: Which do you prefer, watching a game at an arena or watching with friends at home?

    A:
Use It

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Q: Some fans traveled to San Antonio for the game. Would you travel to see your team play in a different city? Why or why not?

    A: I would travel for a big game it might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

    and / because / but / so

    I would travel for a big game because it might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

  2. Q: Which do you prefer, watching a game at an arena or watching with friends at home?

    A: I prefer watching with friends at home it feels more relaxed and fun.

    because / unless / although / if

    I prefer watching with friends at home because it feels more relaxed and fun.

  3. parades are fun.

    To me, / Also, / Because of that, / For example,

    To me, parades are fun.

Sentence Unscramble

Sentence Unscramble

  1. A. I think B. to the team C. her comment D. shows E. she stayed loyal F. for years.

    I think her comment shows she stayed loyal to the team for years.

  2. A. people should B. feel unsafe. C. if things D. friends E. In a large crowd, F. stay with G. and H. leave

    In a large crowd, people should stay with friends and leave if things feel unsafe.

  3. A. part of B. People stay loyal C. one team D. because E. who they are. F. can feel like

    People stay loyal because one team can feel like part of who they are.

Discussion Questions
  1. What does Elizabeth Madigan's comment show about Knicks fans?
  2. Some fans traveled to San Antonio for the game. Would you travel to see your team play in a different city? Why or why not?
  3. Which do you prefer, watching a game at an arena or watching with friends at home?
  4. What are some safe ways to celebrate in a large crowd?
  5. Why do cities hold parades after big sports wins?
  6. Which feels better: finally winning after a long wait, or supporting a team that usually wins?
  7. Why do people stay loyal to a team for many years, even when that team keeps losing?
  8. New York is a big, rich city. Why don't its sports teams win more often?

Discussion Questions

  1. What does Elizabeth Madigan's comment show about Knicks fans?
  2. Some fans traveled to San Antonio for the game. Would you travel to see your team play in a different city? Why or why not?
  3. Which do you prefer, watching a game at an arena or watching with friends at home?
  4. What are some safe ways to celebrate in a large crowd?
  5. Why do cities hold parades after big sports wins?
  6. Which feels better: finally winning after a long wait, or supporting a team that usually wins?
  7. Why do people stay loyal to a team for many years, even when that team keeps losing?
  8. New York is a big, rich city. Why don't its sports teams win more often?

Answers Knicks Win NBA Championship / Level 3

Listening: (1) championship, (2) celebration, (3) victory, (4) disappointment, (5) arena, (6) parade

Main Idea: The Knicks won a long-awaited championship, and fans celebrated across New York.

True or False:

  1. False. The first paragraph says the Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973.
  2. False. The second paragraph says the game was played in San Antonio, Texas.
  3. True. The third paragraph says some Knicks fans traveled to Texas to see the game in person.
  4. False. The fourth paragraph says the Knicks had not reached the NBA Finals since 1999.

Multiple Choice: a, b, c, c

Put Events in Order:

  1. The Knicks last won an NBA championship in 1973.
  2. The Knicks reached the NBA Finals in 1999 but lost to the Spurs.
  3. The Knicks beat the Spurs 94-90 in San Antonio.
  4. Fans celebrated in New York late into the night.
  5. The city planned a parade and a ceremony at City Hall.

Vocabulary:

  1. Win: an NBA championship
  2. Fill: parts of Manhattan
  3. End: decades of disappointment
  1. Reach: the NBA Finals
  2. Hold: a ticker-tape parade
  3. Enjoy: the night safely

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Reason. 3) Opinion.

  1. because
  2. because
  3. To me,

Sentence Unscramble:

  1. I think her comment shows she stayed loyal to the team for years.
  2. In a large crowd, people should stay with friends and leave if things feel unsafe.
  3. People stay loyal because one team can feel like part of who they are.

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