I see your jokes, NBA Twitter.
I see how everyone’s rolling their collective eyes at New York Knicks fans as the team that’s struggled for decades for any sort of relevance won another game on Sunday and moved to 18-17 and the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference (imagine if I told you before the season THAT was a sentence I’d be writing!).
But, please: let us have this.
Full disclosure, as you may know from previous musings on the Knicks: I grew up in and still live in New York City. I spent many a night at Madison Square Garden watching the Patrick Ewing Era teams get so close to a title.
So I’m with these guys outside of MSG going nuts like the Knicks just clinched a spot in the Finals:
It’s almost March and the Knicks are .500 and tied for 4th in the East.
NYK fans are loving it 🗣
(via @tripleMwassup)pic.twitter.com/fBPpUpXshw
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 28, 2021
Maybe you get it, that this franchise has suffered through being the punchline year after year, including with current NBA players — which is the worst indignity, because they get to decide if they want to sign with the franchise and make it better — and elsewhere.
But when the Knicks are good, there’s nothing like it. New York is a basketball city, despite what countless Yankees fans might claim. Linsanity was surreal, in part because of the magic at MSG with die-hards going ballistic every night watching what he could do.
And these Knicks might not be a true playoff contender who will continue this surprising ascension. But they have something. That something is a young nucleus led by R.J. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley (remember how critics scratched their head over that pick?), Mitchell Robinson and Obi Toppin. Julius Randle is an All-Star playing out of his mind. They’re defending and have an actual identity under Tom Thibodeau, and a stable front office under Leon Rose. There’s even this feeling that the much-slammed Kristaps Porzingis trade … may have actually turned out to be a good move?
M-V-P CHANTS from Knicks fans pic.twitter.com/5TWHRzTSVQ
— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) February 24, 2021
So pardon me if Knicks fans get rowdy at the mere fact that the team is a game over .500. This is a truly big deal. The fanbase isn’t just celebrating this year. It’s the hint that maybe something right is finally happening that could lead to bigger things.
I know the next words out of your mouth: something to the effect of, the Knicks could do the same thing they’ve done in the past 20 or so years and make the wrong trade or waste their next pick, or a devastating injury could wash it all away.
But that’s true for any sports franchise, isn’t it?
So, I beg of you: let Knicks fans have this.
[jwplayer nXkCqYHm-q2aasYxh]
