Knicks, Jalen Brunson have the New York fan base rallying around their push to make the ECF

David Waldstein of The New York Times chronicled the Knicks’ successful run through the regular season and first two rounds of the playoffs so far. With his ears to the streets of New York, he gathered the sentiments of the people who have given energy to the franchise, sharing this from a couple of avid Knicks supporters:

“There may not be as much superstar talent as other teams,” said a former Los Angeles Lakers fan who now roots for New York, “but they make you want to cheer for them. I’m definitely a convert.”

“This team is different,” another supporter said. “This is a team you like for a lot of reasons, but the biggest is Brunson. What an unbelievable story he is.”

Brunson has been special for the Knicks all year long

Brunson has given the Knicks a level of success and a level of scoring that hasn’t been seen since the days of Carmelo Anthony. Not only have the Knicks won 50 games for the first time since Anthony led their 54-win season in 2012-13, but they’ve also made it to the second round for just the third time since that same 2012-13 campaign. Brunson’s 28.7 PPG is also the highest single-season average by a Knicks player since the Oak Hill Academy product averaged the exact same in 2012-13.

Unlike the former 10-time All-Star, Brunson has the Knicks up 2-0 over the Indiana Pacers, while Anthony’s Knicks lost to the Pacers in six games in the 2013 ECSF.

Brunson most recently produced his fourth straight 40-plus point playoff performance, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan in 1993 to achieve such a feat.

Knicks are fun to watch and more successful than they’ve been in decades

Beyond the numbers and the individual achievements, the Knicks have been fun to watch win. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has opened up their offense, allowing them to play faster and shoot better from outside. Their bigs bring tenacity, heart, and energy on the glass. Their wings attack in transition and shoot well from deep. Brunson comes through down the stretch of games, and most of all, the Knicks deliver with a 4-1 home record in this postseason.

Knicks forward OG Anunoby reacted to the crazed fans by saying:

“There is nothing like it,” said OG Anunoby, a forward who joined the team in January. “It’s electric. All of us, we feel it, and we love it.”

The city of New York will continue to give life to the Knicks as they strive toward the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks have succeeded even without All-Star Julius Randle and could give their fanbase something to cheer about that they haven’t experienced in 24 years.