The New York Knicks are gearing up for perhaps their biggest game in the 21st century. With them up 2-0 in their second round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, the series now heads back to Madison Square Garden, a place that is sure to be electric, with New York having a grand opportunity to go up 3-0.
The Knicks are entering their biggest game in a long time
The Knicks have been in these playoff settings often, but they are in the midst of potentially pulling off one of the most stunning upsets in league history. On Get Up, ESPN and MSG Networks analyst Alan Hahn said that this is the biggest Knicks game of the century.
“That tells just where this is significantly when it comes to basketball at Madison Square Garden,” Hahn said. “The last three years, it’s been a lot better, but we all know, in this century, it has not been great. This is the game of the century right now at Madison Square Garden, when it comes to Knicks basketball since ’99.”
As Hahn alluded to, the Knicks are trying to accomplish something they haven’t done in over 25 years. The last time they made the Eastern Conference finals was in 2000, a year in which they fell short of reaching the finals by losing to the Indiana Pacers in six games.
The Knicks can make the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000
Many have felt that reaching the ECF is the next step for this Knicks franchise, given how long it has been since they made it there. While the main goal remains winning a title, making the conference finals would be a massive stepping stone towards building a championship team.
The Knicks are only two wins away from doing so, and they will have their next two chances on their home floor. If they can bring the same energy on both ends like they did in Games 1 and 2, then they will have a strong chance at closing out the series and knocking off the reigning champions, something that virtually nobody expected to happen.
Game 3 is set for Saturday at 3:30 P.M. EST and will be broadcast nationally on ABC. New York will look to gain a commanding 3-0 series lead.