Go NY Go NY Go
You bet your ass Knicks fans celebrated a Game 2, Round 1 victory like they won the NBA Finals
Eight long years. Nine different coaches. The Langston Galloway era. One world-stopping pandemic. Endless amounts of pain. That is what took place between Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks won just their 10th playoff game since the turn of the millennium, and the franchise's most recent playoff victory in the 2012-2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
In short, you'll have to forgive the fanbase for partying like it's 1999, also known as the last time the franchise made the NBA Finals (in a lockout shortened season). And this was no run-of-the-mill, blowout victory to even their opening round series against the Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks trailed 57-44 af halftime, and showed you nothing offensively that would lead you to believe a second-half comeback was imminent. Most-improved player award winner Julius Randle was on the side of a milk carton. Game 1 hero Alec Burks? More like Alec Bricks, am I right? Trae Young, who Knicks fans thought they were going to boo out of the arena after his Game 1 antics/heroics, was sizzling, scoring 20 first-half points in a Reggie Miller-like, "F--- you" performance.
But in the second half, a different Knicks team emerged from the locker room, the one fans had grown accustomed to cheering for in 2021. Randle returned to his MIP self, Reggie Bullock hit multiple game-shifting threes, and, most importantly, 32-year-old Derrick Rose put the team on his back, 10 years and multiple brutal injuries removed from his MVP season with the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks won (and covered!) 101-92, squaring up the series at 1-1 and snatching back all the momentum before heading to Atlanta for Game 3 Friday night. Suffice to say, the fans were a little excited on Wednesday night outside MSG. OK, fine, I'll say it - they were A LOT excited:
Nothing says Knicks fans like chanting that they want a team that they wouldn't face until the Eastern Conference Finals (and would have to go through the Philadelphia Sixers to face), and that they'd be lucky to steal one game from. This after just squeaking out only the franchise's 10th playoff win since 2000 against a team many expected them to beat before that stunning Game 1 loss. Just blind confidence in the orange and blue. You simply must respect it. There is nothing fake or bandwagon about this fanbase. We may be a stupid bunch, but the one thing you can never call us is bandwagon.
Naturally, the haters are very, very sick over these videos, mainly at the fact fans are celebrating like the Knicks won the Finals. Those same haters probably couldn't wait for fans to get back in the arenas, couldn't wait for sports to be normal again, and couldn't wait to see people living it up again. And now those same people are clowning on these Knicks fans, who are high on LIFE, for having fun after a nice playoff win? Take a hike. GO NY GO NY GO!