By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
You’ve got to be pretty good to advance to be head of the New York City Secret Service. Tonight, that is the job for Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s field office that must oversee a Presidential visit to Madison Square Garden on the night of an NBA Finals game.
Sadly, McCool’s boss will enter The Garden thinking all the hype is about him, but a few seconds into his walk to his “Bunker Suite” or wherever they choose to stash him, and he’ll know what New Yorkers really think of him.
But that will be a distraction from The Main Event.
Much more importantly, we’ll all find out – FAST – that some 19,500 spectators are at The Garden for one reason – and one reason alone – to root on their New YorkKnickerbockers as they play the upstart San Antonio Spurs in a very important game for those who care about the incredible challenge of winning an NBA title.
The Knickerbockers haven’t been able to accomplish the feat since 1973 (and, once before that, in 1970). It’s been a long wait, 53 years to be exact. It’s not the longest wait in NBA history, but it’s close.
Please consider:
- Sacramento Kings – 75 years – Last won in 1951 (Rochester Royals)
- Atlanta Hawks – 67 years – Last won in 1958 (St. Louis Hawks)
- Phoenix Suns – 57 years – entered NBA in 1969
- Los Angeles Clippers – 56 years – entered NBA in 1971
For the Knicks, it’s been a long, strange trip. The franchise made it to The NBA Finals in 1999 and 1994, only to come up short. Other than those two seasons, it’s been bupkis.
The Summer of ‘73 was a long time ago.
In 1973, the American League had just approved the use of the designated hitter.
In 1973, the Supreme Court issued its ruling on Roe v. Wade.
In 1973, the United States finally put an end to the Viet Nam war.
In 1973, they dedicated and opened the World Trade Center in NYC. (RIP)
In 1973, George Lucas first put pen to paper on a little motion picture to be named “Star Wars.”
In 1973, Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby in 1:59 2/5, a still standing record, won The Preakness in 1:53 and took The Belmont Stakes in 2:24 for the mile and a half course, considered the greatest race in thoroughbred horse racing history.
In 1973, tennis great Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes at the Houston Astrodome.
You get the picture, correct?
Nineteen hundred seventy-three was a long time ago.
In 1973, Patrick Ewing was 11. Willis Reed was 31 and Walt “Clyde” Frazier was 28.
May God Bless the Captain who died March 21, 2023, but Frazier turned 81 on March 29th and he’ll be at The Garden tonight with a bevy of other former Knicks – from John Starks to Ewing, himself. They’ll lead the cheers for the 2026 iteration of the club, a likable group who’ve grown together and improved. Much of the praise should go to former Villanova coach Jay Wright who schooled all-star guard Jalen Brunson,all-everything swingman Josh Hart and Game 2 star Mikal Bridges who scored 20 points, nine in the third quarter when New York seized temporary control of the game. Bridges logged a game-high 41 minutes, chipped in six rebounds and six assists, and hit eight of his 13 shots (including 4-for-6 from downtown.
On the other side, the San Antonio Spurs will not go down easily. Surely, all-defensive player of the year Victor Wembanyama will come with every ounce of energy stored in his 22-year old, 7-foot-4 frame. He’ll certainly be more aggressive than he was in the first two games in the Alamo City.
But, none of the Spurs will be bellowing to remember a thing about the games in “The Alamo,” but instead looking for any way possible to turn the series to a 2-games-to-1 slugfest of which any and all NBA referees will need to hold on for dear life to control the physical play (by both teams).
The Spurs will try to keep The Garden from truly rockin’ the way only Madison Square Garden can rock for a basketball game.
The Knicks will do their best to hold off any complacency, as every street corner coach is declaring victory with only two games in the win column, not the mandatory four games to take a best-of-seven series. In fact, most New Yorkers are clearing their schedules for a parade in the “Canyon of Heroes,” like championship teams that came before them.
Some 200-plus black granite and stainless-steel sidewalk plaques await the dedication of one more, but it will only come if the Knicks can block out the 13 consecutive victories in these 2026 NBA Playoffs. Only the 2017 Golden State Warriors can claim more (15).
Complacency can be a most dangerous antidote, one that can counteract even the very best of efforts of championship caliber teams. But, face facts, no team has ever come back from losing the first two games of The NBA Finals at home to win the series. Thus, a Knicks collapse would be an epic, historic effort.
For the Spurs, forcing a Game 5 is “priority one.” A single win in New York guarantees a change of venues – back to Texas with a glimmer of hope. A Game 3 loss by the Spurs would place as much pressure on the young club as has ever been placed on the shoulders of Wembanyama.
Battling momentum is one thing, but battling intense pressure in Madison Square Garden – the biggest stage in all of sport – is “a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind.”
As we all know, things can get a little strange in sports.
We’re sure to be reminded that comedy actor Ben Stiller will be in the building tonight, but if Rod Serling shows up, all bets are off – even those at the NBA’s co-official betting partners, Draft Kings and Fan Duel – as Twilight Zone defenses are not illegal but much frowned upon in midtown Manhattan where parade routes are already being discussed.
A bit too early, if you ask WWYI.