Before the doors had even opened to the public hours ahead of game time it already felt different at Madison Square Garden.
NBA history was acknowledged with T-shirts commemorating the 75th anniversary of the league and franchise draped over every seat. The announcement of a second 25 group of players named to the 75th Anniversary Team came earlier in the day and included Patrick Ewing and Walt Frazier, joining Willis Reed, who had been part of the first group revealed Tuesday, bringing more history into focus.
After decades of dysfunction and more losses than they’d like to count the Knicks arrived for the season opener still floating with the success of last season, high expectations and a sense that maybe the glory days weren’t that far off from returning.
