You’d be forgiven if you watch Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday and think it’s being played at Madison Square Garden; that’s how big a presence Knicks fans are trying to make themselves known in San Antonio.
Basketball fans know Knicks fans travel well, but this is different. The Knicks are one win away from capturing their first championship in 53 years and fans want to be a part of it.
“Our fans have been fantastic all year. And during the playoffs, they’ve tried to show up and show out wherever we are,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said before Game 5. “Not just in the arena, we see them walking around the area we’re staying in. We see them at the hotel. Just to know they are as enthused and rowdy as they are, it’s second to none.
“We love having our fans, we love having them in the building, we love having them around. Hopefully they’ll be able to cheer just as loud as they are at home, here tonight.”
Knicks fans were loud early on. As the Spurs had their pregame workouts, fans in their seats were booing Victor Wembanyama as he took his shots.
When the hometown Spurs took the court for pregame shootaround, Knicks fans booed San Antonio’s team mercilessly. And they cheered for the Knicks as they took the court.
How could this be? Well, Knicks fans bought nearly 50 percent of the tickets to Game 5. by fans in the NY/NJ area, According to Kyle Zorn of Tick Pick, fans from the New York and New Jersey area bought 45 percent of the tickets.
And of course, the Knicks fan celebs are in attendance.
Fat Joe, Ben Stiller, Timothee Chalamet are in San Antonio and there’s likely going to be more as we sit and wait to see if the Knicks can undo 50 years without a title on Saturday night.
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