The Knicks have long disappointed despite New York City’s strong sports culture, money, and dedicated fans. After years of poor performance, the team is now headed to the NBA Finals following a historic sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning four games to none. The opponent is not yet determined because the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs is tied 2-2, with Game 5 still to be played. The writer describes personal disbelief turning into belief, including buying Brunson shirts and watching Knicks fans react emotionally, even while joking about the intensity of the celebration. The central focus is the excitement of finally reaching the Finals.
"Although mostly proud of NYC in all of its iterations, I've always been baffled by just how consistently disappointing its official basketball team has been. One of the most important cities in the country-filled with fans, money and a strong sports culture-is home to the Knicks, a team with a base of diehard fans who, for the past 20 years, have seemed almost willfully blind to the fact that their team has just never been... good."
"But all that has just changed. The Knicks are finally, officially, almost unbelievably headed to the NBA Finals this year, following a historic sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers, four games to none. We have yet to find out who they'll face: the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs is still very much alive, tied 2-2, with Game 5 tonight."
"Clearly, my feelings are shared across the state. After watching each game with clenched fists, I found myself turning to eBay to buy Brunson shirts for my sons (and, yes, the fact that I once interviewed him and his BFF Hart is my current claim to fame), then scrolling Instagram watching videos of Knicks fans openly weeping over the current state of affairs."
"Sure, I'm laughing at the fact that grown men (including Timothée Chalamet) are this emotional over a game... but I also find myself tearing up right along with them, because-and I cannot say this loud enough-the Knicks are going to the NBA Finals, baby."
Read at Time Out New York
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