After Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, and their teammates managed to cause the biggest comeback win in NBA Finals history, it was bound to leave New York Knicks fans excited.
They should be, as the home team has taken a commanding 3-1 lead in their battle against the San Antonio Spurs. The only team in league history to have won after trailing by that much is the LeBron James-led 2016 Cavaliers.
On top of that, no team has come back to win the Finals after losing both their opening home games. The combination of the two, and the way the San Antonio Spurs have been playing, has given every sign that the Knicks will win the 2026 title.
It will be their first since 1973, which adds to the desperation New Yorkers have to revel in a championship celebration. The only problem is that they are routinely the ones who start celebrating way earlier than necessary.
In the past, Knicks fans have come under fire for harassing opposition fans. Now, they have started to turn towards violence.
After Game 3, the NYPD had to step in and break up fights at watch parties. But that was after a loss. There was frustration, and New Yorkers took it out on themselves and some Spurs fans.
After winning Game 4 in the manner that they did, this was going to go up a notch. A video clip circulated on social media showing a group of Knicks fans attacking a Five Guys employee just because he is a Spurs fan.
Those Knicks fans start by throwing small things at him. It escalates with them throwing chairs at him, and then jumping over the counter to throw hands at him. Eventually, they disperse, but the damage was done.
As soon as these clips went online, there were a lot of people who condemned these attacks. They wondered why Knicks fans would do this a day after bothVictor Wembanyama and Karl-Anthony Towns berated them.
Then came New Yorkers, who quickly distanced themselves from these attackers. They made it clear that this was unbecoming of Knicks fans and that they denounce them. Check out examples of those reactions below.
These attacks may prompt another round of comments from players, analysts, and the NBA. But there is no doubt that there is a chance it will continue since the Knicks are on the verge of winning the city's first major championship in over a decade.
The only solace some New Yorkers can think of is that Game 5 is not going to play out at Madison Square Garden. It will be 1800-odd miles away at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
However, that is easier said than done. The Knicks are a game away from lifting the Larry O'Brien trophy, and their fans firmly believe the team can get the job done in the next game.
That means they will be out in full force to take part in the celebrations long before the team returns home with the trophy in hand.
Other cities have had time to organize the championship parade and everything else. But the Knicks might not have to do that, as every single day after winning the title will probably be a party.
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