The 2024-2025 New York Knicks are on the brink of history. This franchise hasn’t advanced to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000 and this fanbase is as dedicated and passionate as ever.
The place to be on game night is Madison Square Garden, the most famous arena in the world.
“Knicks fans are some of the most knowledgeable fans in the league, if not the most knowledgeable,” said Knicks legend point guard John Starks. “They love their Knicks, and for me, being a former player and them showing me a lot of love throughout my tenure here in New York, it’s been incredible. Even though I haven’t played for the Knicks since 1999, it still has that fascination with one another. I enjoy what I see them doing for this young team that we have today, so it kind of brings back memories.”
“It’s the most passionate fanbase,” said former Knicks forward John Wallace. “When you combine the knowledge with the passion, you got true, true fans. They know the game and they really, really genuinely love the Knicks.”
The Knicks have held watch parties both in and outside of MSG for this year’s playoffs, giving fans the opportunity to cheer on their team without having to break the bank for a ticket to the big game.
“Coming back to the Garden is always special, the love that the fans show is always special,” Wallace said. “But the fact that we’re in a position that we haven’t been in, in almost 25 years – you see the atmosphere after the last game outside the arena, thousands and thousands of fans. Driving down the street, if you’ve got on Knicks gear, you’re going to get a honk of the horn, a ‘Let’s Go Knicks.’ Everybody is talking about the Knicks, the buzz is back in the city and it’s awesome.”
New York leads the Boston Celtics 3-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a chance to punch their ticket to the next round on Friday night. During the regular season, the Knicks lost all four meetings against the Celtics and most weren’t very competitive.
In this series alone, New York has erased two 20-point deficits in Games 1 and 2, as well as another double-digit deficit in Game 4.
“Their heart, their fight … a lot of people always count them out but they seem to get the job done,” Starks told amNewYork regarding what’s so special about this Knicks team. “They’re never out of the game no matter what. That’s what you have to do in the playoffs – everything is not going to be perfect, so you have to find ways to win and this team does it the best.”
Win or lose, this fanbase has and will continue to support their guys in the blue and orange every step of the way.
“It feels great, it means you did something that they appreciated and I appreciate them probably more so than they appreciate me just because they’ve been there for us throughout the years,” Starks said regarding what it means to always be embraced by these Knicks fans. “Even during the down years, the fans come out and support the team. I understand their pain and their suffering through a lot of those times, but now we’re back on top and they’re coming out and showing out for us right now.”
“You know the adage, ‘once a Knick, always a Knick,’” Wallace said.
