Christmas gifts the New York Knicks have given fans in 2017-18

3. Reclaiming Madison Square Garden

The New York Knicks haven’t reached the playoffs since they won 54 games in 2012-13. That much is well-known, well-documented, and painfully reiterated at every sign of promise or potential, but there’s another reality that hasn’t been discussed enough.

In addition to missing the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, the Knicks have failed to finish above .500 at home since 2012-13.

New York finished the 2014-15 NBA regular season with a record of 10-31 at Madison Square Garden. It followed by going 18-23 at home in 2015-16 and 19-22 at The Mecca in 2016-17—three entirely unacceptable records.

Through 20 home games in 2017-18, the Knicks have already passed the 2014-15 mark, and are closing in on the 2015-16 and 2016-17 records.

New York has already won 15 home games with 21 outings remaining at Madison Square Garden. There’s no guaranteeing that it will maintain this level of play, but it would only need to go 6-15 over the final 21 games in order to finish above .500 at home for the first time since 2012-13.

For the first time in half a decade, the Knicks are finally treating Madison Square Garden like the basketball haven that it is by winning home games at an elite rate.