Knicks Fans Feel the Energy and Hope as Team Makes Deep Playoff Run
Darelle Banks has been a devoted New York Knicks fan since the 1990s. He vividly recalls the crushing playoff defeats to franchises like the Pacers, Bulls, Spurs, and Rockets. Despite the Knicks making the playoffs 14 consecutive years and reaching the NBA Finals twice during that era, they never managed to capture a title.
Now, more than two decades later, Banks, like many longtime fans, finds himself re-living the rollercoaster of emotions. On the night the Knicks suffered a dramatic Game 1 collapse to the Indiana Pacers — relinquishing a nine-point lead in the final minute and ultimately falling in overtime — Banks remained optimistic. Hours before the final buzzer, he believed this team had the potential to go all the way.
“In the ‘90s, we were living in Michael Jordan’s shadow,” Banks said. “It felt like we just couldn’t win. But now, there’s a real sense of hope. You can feel it in the air, walking down the street. People are genuinely excited.”
Banks admits he distanced himself from the team in the years following the breakup of the ‘90s core, as the Knicks missed the playoffs in eight of the next nine seasons. But when his son, Dallas, began showing interest in basketball, Banks saw an opportunity to reconnect — and to teach his son what it truly means to root for New York.
On Wednesday, the father-son duo joined thousands of fans at a Game 1 watch party at Radio City Music Hall. Banks wore a cream-colored “New York or Nowhere” hoodie as they sat on the venue’s first level. He said they try to attend a few games every year — traveling to Detroit for the regular season finale, and even to Philadelphia for last year’s playoffs. But with ticket prices for Game 2 at Madison Square Garden starting at $577, the $10 watch party was a more accessible way to share the experience amid a crowd of 5,000 fellow Knicks loyalists.
Andrew Royce was also part of the crowd, reflecting on his own history with the Knicks. Like Banks, he began watching during the height of the team’s 1990s run, when the city was buzzing with sports success — the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994, and the Yankees took four World Series titles in five years. The Knicks, too, were expected to win.
Those high early expectations made the subsequent years of struggle even more difficult, which is why Royce is savoring this moment.
“I definitely took the ‘90s for granted,” he said. “We went through so many rough years in the 2000s. To now be in Radio City, watching the Knicks compete for a chance to return to the Finals — it feels like a dream.”
Fans like Omar Hegazy and Lanre Badmus, who came of age during the more recent ‘Knickstape’ era led by Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, echoed that sentiment. While that team only managed to win a single playoff series, seven subsequent playoff-less years helped set the stage for today’s squad — a team fans believe is built to contend.
“This run is unlike anything I’ve experienced,” said Hegazy. “I’ve seen some great Knicks moments, but nothing like this. For the first time, I actually believe we have a chance to win it all. I’m just trying to soak it in and enjoy the ride.”
Badmus, who became a dedicated fan in 2010 following the Stoudemire signing, believes this year’s team is the most complete he’s seen. But for him, it’s about more than just wins.
“The energy in the city is electric,” he said. “Everyone’s feeling it. There’s nothing like a Knicks playoff run in New York.”
That excitement isn’t lost on the younger fans either. Arlo Zamorefrankel, reflecting on her favorite moment of the current season, pointed to a family gathering to watch Game 6 of the series against Boston.
“The whole house just exploded when they won,” she said with a smile.
Charles Geller, another young fan, celebrated the team’s playoff performance and the way it has brought the city together.
“I loved the wins against the Celtics and Pistons,” he said. “What I love most is how everyone is united. It’s not about over-hyping things or staying quiet — people are just genuinely happy and supporting each other.”
As the Knicks continue their postseason journey, it’s clear that fans — both longtime loyalists and the next generation — are rallying behind the team, soaking in every moment of a run that has reignited hope across New York City.
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