New York Knicks fans were puffing their chests for good reason Thursday after the team manhandled the Atlanta Hawks to advance to the second round.
The Knicks laid the smackdown on the Hawks in a 140-89 beatdown in Game 6 that broke all kinds of NBA postseason records. New York led by as many as 61 points in front of a silent crowd at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga.
Knicks fans did not let hundreds of miles of separation stop them from celebrating. Thousands gathered around Madison Square Garden for the contest and celebrated the win as if it had just taken place at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”
The chant that broke out after the Knicks’ Game 6 win directly taunted one team while indirectly dismissing the other.
“We want Boston! We want Boston!” fans chanted outside MSG.
Knicks fans chant “WE WANT BOSTON” after a Game 5 win at MSG
— Alex Monaco (@Alex__Monaco) April 29, 2026
7th Avenue is rockin’#Knicks #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/O1GiCi6ZsF
A week ago, the Celtics looked more likely to advance to the second round than the Knicks did. Boston led its series against the Philadelphia 76ers 3-1, while New York was deadlocked at 2-2 against Atlanta.
The Knicks took care of business on Thursday night. The Celtics failed to do the same, as the Sixers beat them 106-93 to force a Game 7 in Boston.
The fans along 7th Avenue should probably be hoping for Philly to advance so that New York would get homecourt advantage in the second round. But the prospect of eliminating the Celtics in back-to-back seasons may be what has fans so focused on the boys from Beantown.
