No one expected the Knicks to be here, well, nobody besides the organization itself and their fans, that is. Against the Celtics, nearly every national media member picked the Celtics to defeat the Knicks handily. Even after they went up against the Celtics in the first two games, all of the focus was on what the Celtics were doing wrong, not on what the Knicks were doing right.
Well, all the Knicks did was put their head down and continue to prove everyone wrong, capping it off by eliminating the Celtics in Game 6 to book their tickets to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Now, the national media is finally starting to catch on.
An ESPN panel of 14 experts were tasked with making their picks for the two Conference Finals series, with nine of them selecting the Knicks to win their matchup against the Indiana Pacers. For Knicks fans, it is a display of respect they are not accustomed to, but one they have always known they deserved.
Some criticism was fair
Now, to be fair, it is not unreasonable that people would have selected the Celtics to beat the Knicks. The Celtics are one of the most complete teams in the NBA, were the defending champions, and looked fully capable of being ready to repeat.
The Knicks, on the other hand, lack depth, and looked like a flawed team in many fans for parts of the season. Where fans often felt slighted was that when the Knicks "overachieve", such as completing two 20-point comebacks in as many games against the Celtics, the media's focus was completely on how the Celtics failed. There was little to no mention of the Knicks succeeding.
Prove they belong
The media is used to the Knicks coming up short, they have been doing so for decades. It is part of the reason why they are usually doubted. Now that they have earned their support, in some capacity, it is up to them to prove it is deserved.
The Knicks have a chance to prove they belong among the league's elite teams. That they are not just a big market, but a big talent as well. That starts with them taking down the Pacers and getting back to the NBA finals. The fans have always had the belief, as have the plays, now the whole world is catching on as well.