New York Knicks fans have descended on San Antonio and turned the Spurs' home turf into a sea of orange and blue, riding the high of a Game 1 victory in the NBA Finals. Video circulating on social media showed Knicks supporters taking over the concourse inside the arena during the opener, and with the team off to a winning start, fans expect the same scene to repeat itself when the series resumes.
The win carried extra weight because of how long New York has waited to get back to this stage. Supporters and players alike pointed out that this is the franchise's first trip to the finals since 1999, and that the matchup is a rematch against the very same San Antonio Spurs. For a fan base that has endured decades of near-misses, simply being here again has felt, as one fan put it, like a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
On the court, fans credited the Knicks' resilience and their leader for setting the tone. They described a team that does not panic no matter what happens, with Jalen Brunson guiding the group and delivering in the fourth quarter, the stretch where New York made its move. Calling themselves a fourth-quarter team, supporters said the comeback in the closing period was exactly what gave them the belief that the Knicks can win it all.
The morning after the win, the celebration spilled into the streets of San Antonio. Many fans gathered near the set of ESPN to hear the crew break down the game, and orange and blue jerseys and hats were everywhere. Standing in the shadow of the Alamo, supporters chanted and cheered, with several predicting a quick series and openly hoping to see the Knicks close it out in five games.
The pull of the moment has also sparked a travel rush. Fans on the ground said flights from the New York and New Jersey area are already booked up as supporters scramble to get to Texas and snag tickets for Game 2 at the Frostbank Center. Among those who made the trip were a couple who traveled all the way from Poland and a man originally from Queens, now living in Florida, who flew back just to be part of the run.
Back home in New York, the enthusiasm has been just as intense, with fans finding creative ways to watch. Reporters found viewing setups stretching from Madison Square Garden to Central Park, from the trunk of a car in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, to a retrofitted viewing vehicle made to resemble an ambulance in Washington Heights, as supporters refused to miss a single minute of the opener.
The Knicks fever has even reached the city's small businesses. Freddie Leon was among those who watched the Knicks beat the Spurs from Industry City, a popular venue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, soaking in the atmosphere. Joshua Bornstein, who owns Bread and Bagel, said all four of his locations across the city are now selling specialty orange and blue donuts to celebrate the team, a sweet sign of how deeply the finals run has gripped New York.