The Finals — The Third Game
Let us embrace this moment.
A tortured franchise, kicked to the curb for the better half of a century, is two wins away from its first championship in 53 years. In the nucleus of the greatest city on Earth lies a round cathedral known worldwide as the Mecca of Basketball. But to Knicks fans, we call it home.
Home is something you cherish. Home is where the heart is.
And tonight, New York City’s heart will pump its orange-and-blue blood more ferociously than it has in 27 years, because for the first time since 1999…
The NBA Finals are returning to Madison Square Garden.
“I talked about the word ‘hope,’ Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Hope has been brought back to this city. But the word ‘success’ hasn’t been seen in this city for a long time. So, we have to continue to fight to bring that word back to fruition.”
We are living in a dream world. After all that Knicks fans have endured, and the excruciating title drought through which this city suffered, the Knicks finally have a chance. They are coming home with a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals, and they have not lost a game in 45 days.
“Hope” doesn’t begin to describe how Knicks fans feel right now. Tonight, the Knicks will aim for their 14th straight win after earning Game 1 and stealing Game 2 in San Antonio. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs went on a late 14-0 run on Friday, and with a chance to tie the series, the future face of the NBA turned the ball over.
As the more experienced team, all Towns, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Deuce McBride, Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, and Mitchell Robinson needed was a glimmer of hope. Brunson wasn’t his usual clutch self in Game 2’s fourth quarter, but his teammates backed him up.
Robinson supported his captain with two sensational defensive plays, including one against Wembanyama, the world’s future greatest player, on a game-winning shot. For the second straight game, David fended off Goliath. But the battle is far from over.
Fans have paid top-dollar to see the Knicks in the Finals at MSG tonight. One pair of tickets sold for half a million dollars each. It is an iconic, historic moment, with the Larry O’Brien Trophy etched into the Garden floor and the pinwheel ceiling glistening above the NBA’s biggest stars. Plus, the president and mayor will be in attendance for what might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I expect our fans to come out and do what they do every game, which is to come and support us at the highest level,” said Towns, who grew up rooting for the Knicks. “I’m really excited to play. It’s always great when you get to play the game of basketball at its highest level.
“To be able to lace the shoes up, be able to put the jersey on, and be able to see our fans, to see Finals basketball after all this time, is going to be really, really special.”
The Knicks are excited, but they are also blocking out the noise. In fact, Bridges, whose club once blew a 2-0 NBA Finals lead, is confident the Knicks will play like the more desperate team tonight. He is the only player on the Knicks who has ever played significant NBA Finals minutes, and the last thing he wants is another embarrassment.
“Personally, I think we really don’t care too much about the winning streak or anything like that because all that’s in the past,” Bridges said. “I think we do a great job as a team of always knowing that it’s 0-0 after every win, and staying locked in on the next game.”
Sweeps in the NBA Finals are rare. Since 1959, only nine teams have done it, including three teams since the 2002 Lakers. If the Knicks win tonight, they will effectively put this series to bed. And as Bridges said, the only way to win is to treat tonight’s game like it’s 0-0.
“We’ve got to be desperate for these fans,” said Towns, who is averaging 16 points and 10.5 rebounds in this series, and 17.3 points and 10.8 boards per game this postseason. “Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden.
“For this to be the first game in a long time that they have seen Finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give them something to cheer for, give them something to get loud for, and also give them something to believe in.”
Tonight, history will be made from the opening tip to the final buzzer. But can the Knicks go up 3-0? With their mindset and everything they have produced on the court, absolutely anything is possible.
Game Information
Teams: New York Knicks (RS: 53-29, 30-10 Home) vs. San Antonio Spurs (RS: 62-20, 29-12 Away)
Time: 8:30 PM
Networks: ABC, ESPN App (Pregame and Postgame on MSG, Gotham Sports)
Venue: Madison Square Garden — 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001
Monday Line: NYK -1.5 (ESPN Bet)
