Knicks fans have waited a long time for this moment. After a decisive 119-81 victory over the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, the New York Knicks have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a quarter-century. This win puts an end to the team`s third-longest active playoff drought in the NBA.
The game itself became a massive celebration starting roughly from the second quarter. As the Knicks` lead expanded dramatically, the already loud crowd reached incredible levels of fervor. The peak of the excitement arrived late in the third quarter, following a hustle play by Josh Hart that resulted in an OG Anunoby three-pointer, extending the Knicks` lead to an astonishing 41 points. The sound from the crowd was deafening.
If that kind of energy doesn`t give you chills, you might not be a fan of playoff basketball… or perhaps you`re a Celtics supporter.
Speaking of the Celtics, even former Knick Kristaps Porziņģis, who was met with boos nearly every time he touched the ball throughout the series, had to acknowledge the passion of the New York faithful after his team was eliminated.
“The support from the Knicks fans was through the roof tonight and all throughout the playoffs,” Porziņģis commented. “Unbelievable fans, unbelievable city and there`s a side of me that`s very, very happy for them.”
True to form for Knicks fans, the party wasn`t contained within the arena`s walls. Following the victory, the celebration spilled out onto the streets of Manhattan, with large groups of fans chanting “Go New York, go New York, go!” and enthusiastically climbing various objects in sight.
The scene outside MSG was truly incredible, reflecting the intensity and loyalty expected from one of the most passionate fan bases in all of sports.
You might be shocked to hear this, but some New York fans were quite vocal, expressing some strong opinions about not only the Celtics but also the city of Boston entirely (even figures like Ben Affleck and Mark Wahlberg were mentioned). Inside the Garden, a number of celebrity Knicks fans reveled in the blowout win, and actor Timothée Chalamet was seen joining the post-game festivities outside the arena.
Knicks guard Miles McBride commented on the Game 6 crowd`s impact: “I felt like they gave us energy, a lot of energy tonight. Just understanding what we had a chance to do and we just wanted to make sure we went out there and made all of New York proud.”
The Knicks will now aim to continue making New York proud in their upcoming Eastern Conference Finals series against the Indiana Pacers. Game 1 is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden. According to DraftKings, the Knicks are listed as 3.5-point favorites for the opening game and are -140 favorites to win the series overall.
Regardless of how the next round unfolds, you can be sure to see fervent – and likely wild – reactions, both positive and negative, from the highly energized Knicks fanbase.
Jasper Hawthorne