I’m exercising my prerogative as an author on this site to write a decidedly annoying sports fan post.

As a very young boy growing up in the metro NY area, I was at one of the most iconic New York sports events ever to take place: the 7th and deciding game of the NBA Championship finals between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers in 1970. The Lakers had Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West - three of the best players ever to play in the NBA. The Knicks had some stars but were known as more of an unselfish “get everyone involved” team. One of the Knicks best players - starting center Willis Reed - had torn a muscle in his right thigh earlier in the series. There was doubt that he could play in the deciding game. He did not participate in on-court warmups and as game time neared, fans grew somewhat concerned. Literally, just before tipoff, Reed walked out of the tunnel from the locker room onto the court.

Noticeably limping, Reed hit the first two shots of the game for the Knicks. Those were the only points he scored that night. Yet his inspirational play drove the Knicks to their first NBA Title.

As a young boy, that game made me a Knicks fan for life, despite living most of my life in the mountain west.

It’s been 53 years since the Knicks last won an NBA Title.

Last night, the Knicks were playing the San Antonio Spurs in the 4th game of this year’s NBA Finals. The Knicks had won the first two games on San Antonio’s home court, but lost game three in New York. Game 4 - last night - was considered pivotal. It did not go well most of the night for the Knicks. At one point in the 3rd quarter, they were losing by 29 points. Insurmountable. But they never gave up, slowly chipping away at the lead. and, with 1.2 seconds left in the game, OG Anunoby made this happen:

The Knicks won by making the biggest comeback in the history of the NBA playoffs. No team had ever won a game after being behind by 29 points. While the series is not yet over, only one team (out of 38 instances) has come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals to win the title.

I’m still spent and still a bit jacked up.

Whew.

Not everyone follows or cares about sports. But sports can be an incredibly uniting force. Notwithstanding Trump trying to insert himself into the Knicks story (because it always has to be about him), the excitement and camaraderie in NYC as the Knicks near a title is palpable and real. New York is a basketball town. Madison Square Garden is known as the center of the basketball universe. If this team wins the championship, the players on it will be lionized and ensconced in NYC lore forever. Whether you think that’s a good thing or a ridiculous thing, it is a real thing and it has real impact.

And it has made me feel like a kid again. To me, that’s precious.

And now back to your regularly scheduled political programing…

Go NY Go