The New York Knicks are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, and fans of this iconic franchise are on cloud nine. The Big Apple has lived up to its reputation as the City That Never Sleeps, with celebrations going strong since Friday, when New York blew out their rivals, the Boston Celtics, in Game 6 to clinch the series.
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Videos of fans in the city have gone viral, capturing scenes of absolute frenzy. From climbing light posts to stopping traffic in Manhattan, and chanting “f*ck Boston” more times than anyone can count — it’s all part of a cathartic release. After 25 years of heartbreak and disappointment, Knicks fans are finally watching their team be relevant again.
But what about the Knicks stars who led the team to this point? How do they feel about their wild fanbase? Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart spoke about it on the latest episode of The Roommates Show podcast.
Safe to say, Brunson saw this coming. The New York Knicks have one of the most passionate fan bases in the NBA, and they’ve been dormant for far too long. He encouraged fans to keep celebrating and showing their support, but also urged them to exercise caution and not cross the line.
“The fans are gonna be the fans,” said Brunson. “They can enjoy it. They can do whatever they want besides burn the city down. They’re allowed to enjoy. It’s for them.”
Brunson, however, isn’t content with just making the Conference Finals. Hinting at even bigger celebrations ahead, the two-time national champion from Villanova said, “There’s still a lot more basketball to be played.”
Hart, his longtime buddy, echoed the sentiment. He also urged fans to be respectful, especially toward rival supporters.
“They (the fans) can have as much fun as they want. Maybe not throwing trash at the poor Tyrese Haliburton jersey-wearing guy. Maybe a little more respectful, but we want them to have much fun as they can with this. For us, it’s just onto the next series,” the 30-year-old said.
The boys have a point — Knicks fans have every reason to be excited. But when a man named Hans Perez goes viral for having trash thrown at him just for wearing a Pacers jersey, you know things have crossed a line. Upon seeing the video, Tyrese Haliburton told Pat McAfee that he would fly Perez out to watch Indiana in Game 4.
UPDATE: Tyrese Haliburton is flying out firefighter and Pacers fan, Hans Perez, who got hit with bags of trash by New Yorkers for wearing his jersey, to Game 4 of the ECF in Indianapolis
(via @PatMcAfeeShow)pic.twitter.com/QM42fh1pCX https://t.co/lX2RxbWjly
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 19, 2025
And these were just the scenes in New York City after a second-round win. So what happens if the Knicks beat the Pacers? Will there even be a Madison Square Garden left standing for the Finals?
But in all honesty, New York sports fans are truly one of a kind. Karl-Anthony Towns was recently spotted at the Yankees vs. Mets game wearing a “F**k Boston” shirt — a rare moment that brought both rival fanbases together in unified cheers.
The NBA hits differently when Madison Square Garden is rocking and the Knicks play meaningful basketball in May. But as Brunson and Hart pointed out, ideally, the fans should show the same respect from the stands that the players are showing on the court.
