Knicks fans react to 2-0 NBA Finals lead: Celebratory mobs form in streets following win over Spurs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Knicks are two wins away from their first NBA championship in more than 50 years. Their fans are already soaking up the prospect of a title win.
New York survived a late Spurs onslaught in Game 2 to secure a 105-104 win. Karl-Anthony Towns shined in the fixture, producing a game-high 21 points and 13 rebounds as he staked his claim as Finals MVP frontrunner.
Knicks fans responded to Towns’ glistening display — and New York’s wondrous result — in the only way they know how: they jumped around. From the Big Apple to Texas, New Yorkers embraced the prospect of a potential Knicks crown. Suffice to say, it got the basketball world talking.
Here’s what you need to know about New York fans’ reaction to the Knicks going up 2-0 in the Finals.
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Knicks fans react to going up 2-0 on in NBA Finals
Knicks fans danced the night away following New York’s Game 2 win, hitting up all the lively spots to celebrate their conquest. From Sutphin Boulevard and Archer Avenue to Madison Square Garden, Knicks supporters let their presence be known across the city.
Predictably, New York enthusiasts made their pilgrimage to Madison Square Garden, embracing the famed colosseum as the Knicks locked horns with Wembanyama and the Spurs.
When Wembanyama’s effort clanked as the final buzzer sounded, New York acolytes flooded the streets, scaling flag poles and wielding belts in a show of joyful debauchery.
MORE: Where Knicks’ playoff win streak ranks in NBA history
A familiar hymn fell upon the Knicks faithful as their orange-and-blue outfits billowed in the summer wind: “Faneto” by Chief Keef.
Those sounds rang from New York to San Antonio. New Yorkers watched on in bars and clubs across the Alamo, further fueling their reputation as the NBA’s grandest travelers.
If you think this is madness, just imagine if New York was able to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy. After Friday night’s result, that image proves all the more possible.
MORE: What history says about Spurs’ chances of overcoming 2-0 deficit
Last time Knicks won an NBA title
Knicks fans have relished the proximity to the NBA title they have enjoyed in recent months. It’s not a place they’ve been at much over the past half-century. In fact, the last time the city’s basketball team gripped the Larry O’Brien trophy was in 1973, when it downed the Lakers in five games.
That series was marked by a lot of things: Hall of Famers Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and Bill Bradley shined, imposing their will upon an Los Angeles side teeming with talent. Willis Reed danced across the floor en route to Finals MVP honors as New York lifted its second banner into the rafters in four seasons.
MORE: How Karl-Anthony Towns became Finals MVP frontrunner with big Game 2
NBA Finals schedule
|
Date |
Game |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
|
June 3 |
Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95 |
— |
— |
|
June 5 |
Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104 |
— |
— |
|
June 8 |
Game 3 at Knicks |
8:30 p.m. |
ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTV |
|
June 10 |
Game 4 at Knicks |
8:30 p.m. |
ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTV |
|
June 13 |
Game 5* at Spurs |
8:30 p.m. |
ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTV |
|
June 16 |
Game 6* at Knicks |
8:30 p.m. |
ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTV |
|
June 19 |
Game 7* at Spurs |
8:30 p.m. |
ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTV |
MORE: How errant pass from Victor Wembanyama ended Spurs’ Game 2 comeback
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