New York Knicks fans are, indeed, partying like it’s 1999.
This is because the Knicks are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
In case you missed it, this is a very big deal — especially for Knicks fans starving for the franchise’s first NBA championship since most of them were born.
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Thanks to a 130-93 laugher over the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday to complete a dominant sweep and secure their 11th straight playoff win, the Knicks are four wins away from making that dream come true.
Party starts in Cleveland’s home arena
The party started early Monday before tipoff as fans anticipated the sweep. Rumblings of a Knicks fan takeover of Cleveland’s Rocket Arena surfaced before tip. And as the Knicks put the game away with a 20-0 run in the second quarter, that takeover became evident.
Here’s documentation of the atmosphere from the Arena, per reporters on the scene:
Were Knicks celebrities denied courtside seats?
Those noisy Knicks fans included many of the familiar celebrity faces regularly seen at Madison Square Garden.
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Among them was rapper Fat Joe, who claimed that the Cavaliers took away his courtside seats when they found out he’d procured them.
Per the New York Post, the Cavaliers denied at least 10 courtside seats to Knicks fans once they learned of their rooting interest. But they weren’t denied entry into the building — they were just seated further back, per the report.
The Cavaliers responded thusly when asked about the report by the Post:
“Playoff courtside seating is governed by a specific agreement that prohibits the resale or transfer of tickets without approval,” a Cavaliers spokesperson told The Post. “All courtside ticket holders are required to comply with the terms of the single-game playoff agreement.”
Whatever happened, Fat Joe found his way in. As did Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan, Ben Stiller, Timothee Chalamet and Kendall Jenner, among others.
Here are Morgan, Chalamet and Jenner pregame, apparently settling for second-row seats.
Lee was reportedly relegated to the fourth row. But he made his way courtside to celebrate the victory as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
By game’s end, there was no keeping them from celebrating on Cleveland’s home court.
Mamdani joins celebration back home in NYC
Knicks fans in Cleveland certainly weren’t having all the fun. There was plenty of celebrating back home in New York, notably from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who cracked a dad joke on social media at game’s end.
A packed watch party at Radio City Music Hall, meanwhile, was on its collective feet.
When the game was over, the party spilled into the New York City streets, including in front of Madison Square Garden.
Now imagine if they win the NBA championship.
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That won’t come easy in the Finals against either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs. But Knicks fans will be rested and ready when the Finals return to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on June 8 for the first time since 1999.
