Superstar point guard Jalen Brunson may already be the most beloved New York Knicks player of all time, but that doesn’t mean he will accept anything they do. Knicks fans have been under fire for the viral stories of them attacking San Antonio Spurs fans in NYC or throwing items at Spurs players by the hotel. Not all fans are taking part in this, but enough videos are leaking to make it a difficult situation.
Brunson was asked about this before Game 5 in San Antonio and called upon Knicks fans to do better:
“You never want to be disrespectful. Obviously throwing stuff and saying things that are not a part of the game. It’s considered disrespectful. I love our fans, but we got to be better.”
Part of the reason Brunson is so universally respected across the league is that he often says and does the right thing on and off the court. Many players would avoid speaking on this and secretly enjoy the fan base being so boisterous during an intense series.
However, Brunson had the right idea that things outside of basketball should not get so ugly and personal. Knicks fans were asked to behave thanks to their franchise star being empathetic.
Why Knicks Fans Are Under Fire
The Knicks fans have had high-profile instances of things going too far after both wins and losses in the NBA Finals. Past series against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers did not have any scary incidents, but things have picked up with the higher profile NBA Finals deciding the NBA Championships.
San Antonio’s Game 3 victory in New York was the worst night of multiple viral videos of intense crowds getting hostile. Spurs fans were chased and even attacked for wearing their jerseys in New York by groups of Knicks fans angry about the loss. The games won by New York had a few similar incidents, including looting of stores close to Madison Square Garden.
Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama had items thrown at him when San Antonio players attempted to enter their hotel room after Game 4. Things have spiraled out of control, and Brunson provided the right perspective at the right time.
New York Fearing Riots For Knicks Title
The Knicks are most likely going to win the NBA Championship with a 3-1 series lead, and discussion is already there about the fans’ reactions in the area. New York has not seen an NBA Championship in over five decades going back to the Walt Frazier era.
Fans are expected to party in the streets, but the previous games in this series are not the best sign for the NYPD to handle this well. Knicks fans have taken over the streets with unruly moments of the fighting and other dangerous scenarios.
Dozens of arrests have already been made involving post-game actions in the NBA Finals. This will likely uptick unless Knicks players or local politicians plan ahead. Brunson, OG Anunoby, Zohran Mamdani, Spike Lee, and other NYC personalities may have to band together to stop the rioting if the Knicks reach the promise land.
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