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.
It’s a long way off, not just from the championship runs, but even to duplicate what they did last season. But the Knicks took a tentative first step Wednesday night by combining the blue-collar spirit of last season’s team with an improved offensive balance - and just enough of the "chaos" they had predicted would come - to hang on for a double-overtime win over Boston, 138-134.
The Knicks started the game on an 8-0 run that had the celebration continuing from pregame. But they trailed by as many as 12 before battling back and taking control in the second half. And when the game seemed to be getting away from them, Evan Fournier delivered a three-point field goal to up the lead to six with 57.7 seconds left. The Knicks were up six with less than 30 seconds to play but the Celtics scored 10 points in the final 26 seconds, including Marcus Smart's three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime as 19,500 fans yelled for the Knicks to foul.
The teams traded three-pointers like heavyweight boxers throwing haymakers early in the overtime, but both teams went cold, searching for one knockout punch. It never came as Jayson Tatum threw up an airball as he was defended by RJ Barrett as time expired in the first overtime.
Jaylen Brown, who just returned from a bout of COVID, hit a three to start the second overtime, giving him 46 points. For much of the night it seemed like a one-man show with Brown staving off the Knicks diverse attack. Julius Randle led the Knicks with 35 points, Evan Fournier added 32 and Derrick Rose had just nine, but finished the game off by converting a tough floater with 22.2 seconds left to up the lead to four.
Earl Monroe and Bernard King went to center court shortly before game time for a ceremonial opening tip and then Randle stepped up to the microphone and said, "Knicks fans, we here. Welcome to opening night. We promise this season to go out and compete as hard as we can, give our best effort. We know that’s what you guys deserve.’ He then finished with, "New York, stand up," which wasn’t needed on this night.
Randle brought them to their feet in the second overtime as he finally found a way to score with the two teams appearing exhausted. He drove for a layup, drawing a foul to give the Knicks a two-point lead, playing to the crowd. Randle was just as good as he was a year ago, but the difference this time was the supporting cast with five players joining him in double figures. The newcomers were a huge help, but so, too was the development of Obi Toppin, who looked like a different player than the lottery pick from last season.
While coach Tom Thibodeau spearheaded the turnaround for the franchise last season, Randle was key on the court, earning second team All-NBA honors and the league’s Most Improved Player Award. Now, with the addition of hometown hero Kemba Walker and Fournier to take some of the offensive burden off of Randle, the Knicks entered the season in a different state of mind.
It wasn’t just the hopes for the team though, but for the entire city as the Garden was filled to capacity after spending much of last season with no fans in the cavernous arena.
"Hopefully, we can get back to normal," Thibodeau said before the game. "It’s always great – optimism when the season starts, the freshness of the season. You always look forward to that., the excitement of having our fans back. We feel we have the best fans in the world, the best arena in the world. And we know what the Knicks mean to the city."
When they are winning it certainly means more. Among the celebrities dotting the front rows were Jon Stewart, Michael J. Fox, Q-Tip, Tracy Morgan, Dustin Hoffman and former Knicks King, Monroe, Latrell Sprewell and David Lee. With a full house, the famous faces back and a loud welcome to Walker it was a return to normal, or what used to be normal for the Knicks long ago.
"What happened last season, that [stuff] is over with," Randle said Tuesday. "It’s on to a new one. That’s it. Focus on that. Day at a time."
