The New York Knicks are one win away from their first NBA championship in 53 years, and the city is buzzing with excitement. Fans are performing rituals, avoiding live broadcasts, and waiting anxiously for the result to go in their favor. New York City is spotted orange and blue with fans focused on one mission: bringing the NBA Finals trophy back home.
One lifelong fan, Trishna Sharma, has been doing a special Hindu ritual to ward off the "evil eye" since the playoffs began. Using salt, mustard seeds, and a picture of the team, she invites positive energy and discards negative energy. Another fan, Winnonah Foster, is 72 years old and has waited decades to see the Knicks win a championship again. She believes that witnessing another title with her children will feel all the more special.
Even new fans have gotten into the Knicks and found camaraderie. Hiris Faozan, a Queens resident, has only gotten into the Knicks in the past two weeks, but he's now fully immersed in the fandom. However, he's avoiding live broadcasts, believing that the team has lost when he's watched live.
Some fans believe that the Knicks' loss in Game 3 was due to the presence of President Donald Trump at the game. Others, like Tracey Walker, a fan since Willis Reed's era, believe that there was some "juju" in the stadium that took the team off their game.
Celebrity fans have their own rituals, too. Jordyn Woods, the fiancée of Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, has been bringing a custom orange bag to each game day, which fans have dubbed her lucky bag. When she couldn't bring it to Game 3 due to security restrictions, the Knicks lost. Ben Stiller and his wife burned all of their clothes from Game 3, believing it was an anomaly.
For Dillon Chance, from Brooklyn, the collective support is what will bring the title. He believes that the city should be "orange and blue this whole sky" to bring the championship home.
As the Knicks are one win away from glory, fans are doing everything they can to support the team and bring the trophy back home. Whether it's performing rituals, avoiding live broadcasts, or finding camaraderie, the city is united in its support for the New York Knicks.
