The New York Knicks brought life back to Madison Square Garden during a 104-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Who stepped up?
Forget about the final score. On Monday, Nov. 13, the New York Knicks brought life back to Madison Square Garden by playing their hearts out and showing flashes of the culture that keyed the success of the iconic teams of the 1990s.
The collapse in the fourth quarter and the eventual 104-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers were tough to stomach, but the Knicks made significant progress.
The highlight of the night featured LeBron James attempting to punk Frank Ntilikina, and the Knicks having none of it. The sequence brought MSG to its feet, and keyed a second quarter run during which New York outscored Cleveland 29-13.
It was a shining example of the toughness and camaraderie that Knicks teams have been missing for the better part of the past 16 years.
The fourth quarter was tough to stomach, but the Knicks made incredible progress. Kristaps Porzingis couldn’t buy a bucket, and the Knicks still made significant strides towards creating the culture and finding the identity that’s been missing for the better part of 16 years.
The question is: Who stepped up for the New York Knicks during a game that should create a stronger sense of confidence in a historically pessimistic fan base?