New York Knicks have the city buzzing after first playoff win since 2013
It was a seismic event more than eight years in the making.
On Wednesday night, the New York Knicks won their first playoff game since 2013, and the basketball-crazed citizens of New York City made darn sure everyone heard about it — inside …
… and outside of Madison Square Garden.
An unfortunate fan incident aside, the Knicks and their fired-up fans are the talk of the NBA after winning Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks.
MSG hadn't seen playoff NBA basketball since the 2013 Eastern Conference semifinals when the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler suited up in the blue and orange.
But in terms of the Knicks' current first-round series, which is knotted up at 1-1, Colin Cowherd of "The Herd" is convinced that the presence of the fans willed New York to a come-from-behind victory in Game 2.
"I honestly felt the crowd won the game in New York. I'm not sure if the Knicks did," Cowherd chuckled. "The crowd was insane. It jumped through the television set. … I just find it to be a great story. … Boy, Madison Square Garden is just the greatest example of the impact and the importance and the flavor that fans can give you. Fantastic."
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Colin Cowherd reacts to the celebration from the fans in Madison Square Garden, and breaks down why it's so easy to root for the Knicks.
The "Mecca of Basketball" is back, at least temporarily, and Kevin Wildes of "First Things First" said he believes the electricity is a boon for New York. There is a buzz that's been absent for years, and that buzz could help reestablish the Knicks as a premier destination for free agents.
Adding to the allure of the Knicks is that they're a band of largely spare parts from other teams.
The 2021 Most Improved Player, Julius Randle, was cast off by the Los Angeles Lakers and renounced as a restricted free agent in 2018.
After a season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Randle hit the free-agent market again before signing a three-year, $63 million deal with the Knicks.
Nerlens Noel bounced around from the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder before finding a home with the Knicks this season, starting more games this season than he did in the previous three seasons combined.
The story is similar for a number of other Knicks, including Taj Gibson, Elfrid Payton and Alec Burks.
And then there's Derrick Rose, who merits special distinction for his playoff exploits thus far.
If the fans cheering at MSG were the reason the Knicks won Game 2, then Rose was the catalyst for most of those cheers.
The 32-year-old logged a game-high 38:44 minutes and led the Knicks with 26 points in the 101-92 win against the Hawks.
Nick Wright had high praise for Rose on Thursday's episode of "First Things First."
"Derrick Rose got them back in the game and got them back in the series," Wright said. "… He was the difference and is the singular, or biggest reason, why Knicks fans were able to have that celebration last night and why they are back in this series."
After knee injuries dogged Rose following his 2011 MVP campaign, few would have pegged him as a critical playoff contributor in 2021.
As Seth Greenberg put it on ESPN, "it's not even close" when determining who the best Knicks player is right now.
As fun as Wednesday night was for Knicks fans, they'll have to wait another week to see their beloved Knicks at MSG, as the series moves to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4.
If New York can win those games and clinch the series Game 5 at MSG at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday?
The Big Apple might register on the Richter scale.
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