Taylor Swift, Timothée Chalamet and director Spike Lee were among the high-profile spectators at Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks advanced closer to a long-awaited championship breakthrough. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani reacted on X in all caps, writing “SPEECHLESS,” while Swift, wearing a T-shirt reading “Stevie Knicks,” celebrated exuberantly as she left the court and briefly joined in the fun with one of the Knicks City Dancers.
Knicks coach Mike Brown said OG Anunoby’s decisive move may have produced “the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball,” calling the moment “unbelievable.” The victory marked another dramatic turn in what has become a stunning season for the Knicks, who have not reached the finals since 1999, when they lost to the Spurs. For many New Yorkers, the team’s run has transformed the city into a shared celebration, with fans gathering in the streets after each win and landmarks across the city lit or decorated in Knicks colors and branding.
The atmosphere around the team has been intense and emotional, with supporters describing the city as “electric.” From the Empire State Building to the marble lions outside the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, the Knicks theme has spread across New York as excitement builds around the team’s postseason surge. For longtime residents and younger fans alike, the run has become a rare moment to witness history in the making.
One fan told the BBC that it was unlike anything they had experienced before, noting that in 1999 they were only four years old and saying they were trying to take in every moment. The comment reflected the broader feeling across the city: that the Knicks’ success has become more than a sports story, turning into a civic event and a source of collective pride.
After Wednesday’s result, the Knicks need just one more win to capture the national championship for the first time since 1973. Their next chance comes Saturday night in Game 5 in San Antonio. However, the series is not over yet. While the Knicks are now one victory away from the title, San Antonio still has a path to an upset if it can win the remaining three games. The matchup remains alive, but New York now stands on the brink of an historic finish.
