There is Always Next Year

By Sarah McVeigh

Welp, here I am again. Gearing up to write an article about how a New York sports team was so close to winning it all, but they just couldn’t clinch it.

The Knicks beat the Pistons in round one to make it to the conference semifinals against the Celtics. They then pulled out a miracle and won that series, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers. Unfortunately, that’s where the road ended, and the Knicks were knocked out in Game 6.

Game 6 was unlike any basketball game I have ever watched (not like I watch a lot to begin with). I will say, the first half was OK. The Pacers only led 58-54 at the half. After halftime, we were all expecting the Knicks to come out with a bang — this was a must-win! It was apparent pretty quickly that that was not going to happen. The theme of the second half was turnovers. Not only were they turning the ball over, but the Pacers were scoring from these turnovers every time! When the dust had settled, the Pacers outscored the Knicks in points off turnovers 34-13.

They were not playing as a team — it was like they forgot how to play basketball. After the third quarter, I couldn’t watch anymore. You could sense that the boys had given up, so I did too. This team that we saw fight all season completely fell apart.

With all of those gut-wrenching turnovers and all the momentum going Indiana’s way, the Pacers won 125-108. The Pacers will now face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.

After this series, I want to see the Thunder completely destroy Tyrese Haliburton. Did I even know Haliburton prior to this series? No, I did not. BUT that guy needs to be brought back down to earth, and unfortunately, the Knicks were not the ones to do it.

So yes, the Knicks lost. But they also made it past three rounds of playoffs. This team was one of the best that New York has seen in DECADES.

I know that St. John’s is “New York’s Team,” and even though I love me some St. John’s college basketball, the New York Knicks really hold that title.

In New York, there are multiple football teams, baseball teams, and people even go to Jersey to support another hockey team. It should be mentioned that there is another basketball team, the Brooklyn Nets, but get real. I once got free tickets to a Nets game because the NYC Department of Education was giving them away by the boatload. The Knicks don’t need to fill seats, they have no problem filling Madison Square Garden.

Everyone in New York is a Knicks fan. They transcend the city. The Knicks undeniably hold a special place in the hearts of New Yorkers. Despite decades of unfavorable results, the Knicks consistently have a passionate and loyal fan base. They send a buzz throughout the city!

So, was it the end we all wanted? No. But it was the furthest a Knicks team has gone in 25 years, and that deserves some celebration.