The New York Knicks dominated the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Friday night, sending the defending NBA champions home to lick their wounds.
But Knicks fans wouldn’t let them leave Manhattan without pouring a little extra salt on things.
Decked out in blue and orange, Knicks faithful flooded the streets and slowed the Celtics’ team bus down to a crawl. They bid farewell in a way befitting of New York City — largely with one-finger salutes.
“F–k Boston,” the fans could be heard shouting.
The Knicks entered the series as heavy underdogs and precious few analysts believe they had what it took to knock off the powerhouse Celtics. Even after overcoming two 20-point deficits and leaving Boston with an early 2-0 series lead, many expected a series collapse.
After Friday night’s series-ending loss, Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who fouled out in the third quarter, said losing to the Knicks felt “like death.”
“Finishing in May feels weird. It’s definitely not something we were prepared for,” he said, via ESPN. “Things didn’t go our way this year, and it’s unfortunate. But we hold our head up regardless. Losing to the Knicks feels like death. But I was always taught that there’s life after death, so we’ll get ready for whatever’s next in the journey.”
For the Knicks and their fans, things feel more like heaven. They are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, ending a 24-year drought that was among the longest in NBA history.
The Celtics, meanwhile, are left to regroup.
