New York City is abuzz with anticipation as the Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the turn of the millennium, squaring off against the Indiana Pacers in a storied rivalry that has reignited. The Knicks, after trouncing the reigning champion Boston Celtics, are heading to a face-off that could see them through to the NBA Finals, a stage they haven't graced since 1999. According to the Gothamist, New Yorker Zach Weinstein expressed the city's fervor, stating, "There will be every building on fire," suggesting the Knicks' victory will spark an explosive reaction from the fans.
With a dominant display against a Tatum-less Boston, the Knicks' path to the conference showdown has fans like Weinstein banking on the team's potential to not only advance but to incite unmatched celebrations in the city streets. Coming off a decisive 119-81 win over the Celtics that prompted delirious fans to swing on stoplights and shut down Midtown, the stakes against the Pacers are remarkably high for Game 1 set on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. According to CBS Sports, this postseason face-off has history written all over it, with neither team having seen an NBA Finals berth in at least a quarter century.
Jalen Brunson has been batting phenomenal statistics for the Knicks, averaging 28.8 points throughout the playoffs, and notably clutch in the fourth quarter. Fans are palpably optimistic about New York's chances, with local Brendan Dugan confidently predicting victory over Indiana, saying, "I think they'll beat Indiana in probably five or six," in a statement obtained by the Gothamist. With game times scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern and coverage on TNT/Max, Knicks followers are ready with superstitions and rituals to rally behind their team.
The excitement for the series isn't only rooted in the Knicks' recent resurgence, but also in the community element it brings to the city. As Marc Palladino, a Greenpointer, told the Gothamist, "Nothing gets the city hyped like the Knicks do." And justifiably so, as the schedule laid out by CBS Sports indicated, this is the height of the postseason, where every game can mean the difference between heartbreak and glory for a city starved for basketball success. The Pacers, who dispatched the Bucks and Cavaliers in five games each to arrive at this juncture, are themselves looking to rekindle past feats – their last finals run dating back to 2000 when they overcame none other than the Knicks.
If history repeats itself, and the team channels the energy of the city as seen in previous games, the Knicks may just unleash the sort of jubilation Zach Weinstein predicts, and indeed, the streets may "completely riot" in the most rapturous of ways.
