New York City is in the grip of basketball fever as the Knicks stand on the brink of a first NBA championship in 53 years. After a dramatic 107-106 comeback victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, celebrities including Taylor Swift and Larry David lingered at Madison Square Garden as Frank Sinatra's 'New York, New York' played. Former Knick Iman Shumpert headed to Times Square to join the celebrations, while car horns blared and watch parties spilled onto streets across the city.
The winning play, a tip-in by OG Anunoby with 1.2 seconds left, sealed the largest ever NBA playoff comeback and put New York 3-1 up in the best-of-seven series. The moment became a cultural phenomenon, with a photo of a plane full of passengers watching the game going viral, and a clip showing the US men's national soccer team erupting at a watch party in California. Couples with wedding plans for this weekend are reportedly both anticipating and dreading Saturday's Game 5, which could see the Knicks win the series.
The team's run has united figures from across the political spectrum, with President Donald Trump and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani both showing support. The Wu-Tang Clan performed at half-time during Game 4, with Method Man declaring 'Knicks in five!'. The diverse roster reflects the city's melting-pot character, with Karl-Anthony Towns joking about his Dominican teammate Jose Alvarado, and Anunoby—born in London to Nigerian parents—seeking redemption after missing the Toronto Raptors' 2019 title run due to an emergency appendectomy.
The enthusiasm contrasts sharply with 1999, when the Knicks faced the Spurs in a lockout-shortened season without injured star Patrick Ewing. This year's team, led by everyman Jalen Brunson and coached by Mike Brown, has captured the city's imagination. As Mariska Hargitay, a devoted Knicks supporter, said after Wednesday's game, it was 'the greatest night of my life'.
