The New York Knicks were confident entering Game 6 against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. They were so confident, in fact, players dressed themselves in all black before entering the arena.
Although no words were spoken, the tradition is a familiar one across the sports world. The black attire symbolized arriving for a funeral.
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Unfortunately for the Knicks, there would be no funeral — at least not for the Pacers.
In front of their home crowd, Indiana took it to New York early and held on late, securing a 116-103 victory. The win sends the series back to Madison Square Garden for a Game 7 on Sunday afternoon. It will be the first deciding game played at MSG since 1995.
“It’s definitely something we fought for, to have home-court advantage for as long as we can throughout the playoffs,” Jalen Brunson said, via the New York Post. “But it’s not a given we win just because it’s at home. We have to go out there and play. They’re going to be ready and we’re going to be ready as well.”
Still, it’s something Brunson and the Knicks would have preferred to avoid. Their all-black display turned out to be an embarrassment and a humbling experience. It’s a safe bet they probably won’t arrive to MSG dressed down in black on Sunday.
