New Yorkers Flood Streets As The Knicks Advance To Eastern Conference Finals

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Overcoming The Past

For the first time in a quarter-century, the New York Knicks are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals. After years of false starts, heartbreak, and what felt like a cursed franchise, the Knicks delivered a defining moment by defeating the defending champion Boston Celtics in six games.

The clincher came in stunning fashion. In front of a frenzied Madison Square Garden crowd, the Knicks closed out the series with a 119-81 demolition of the Celtics in Game 6. From the opening tip, it was clear: this team wasn’t just playing to win—they were playing to bury years of disappointment.

Madison Square Garden was packed not just with die-hard fans but with familiar faces from the worlds of film, fashion, and comedy. Ben Stiller, a longtime Knicks supporter, was seen courtside celebrating every bucket like a lifelong season ticket holder. Timothée Chalamet, grinning ear to ear, soaked in the electric atmosphere alongside friends, while Tracy Morgan—never one to miss a big Garden moment—brought his signature energy, pumping up the crowd and yelling encouragement at the players. The celebrity presence only added to the sense that this wasn’t just a game—it was a cultural event.

A watch party at Due West in the West Village. Photo by The Empire City Wire.

Flooding 7th Avenue

When the final buzzer sounded, it wasn’t just a basketball victory. It was a release. Outside the Garden, thousands of New Yorkers flooded the streets, turning 7th Avenue into a chaotic, joyful sea of blue and orange. Horns blared, chants echoed off the buildings, and strangers embraced like old friends. It was the kind of moment only New York can produce—loud, unfiltered, and deeply emotional.

For longtime fans, it felt like the payoff for 25 long, humbling, frustrating seasons. The Knicks have been through nearly everything: front office chaos, missed lottery picks, brief teases of success, and long stretches of irrelevance. But now, they’ve earned their way back to the NBA’s biggest stage, taking down a Celtics team many expected to repeat as champions.

The Knicks are no longer a punchline. They’re four wins away from the NBA Finals. And in a city where basketball runs deep in the blood, that means everything.