ESPN Host Says Madison Square Garden To Host Biggest Game Since 1990s

The New York Knicks are just two wins from reaching the Eastern Conference finals.

They hold a 2-0 lead against the Boston Celtics entering Saturday's Game 3 in New York. ESPN's Mike Greenberg of Get Up says this is the most important home game in more than 25 years.

"This is the biggest basketball game at Madison Square since, what," Greenberg said. "I think the answer is it's the most important basketball game in the Garden since the turn of the century. I think you have to go back to the 1999 Finals."

That dates to the Knicks reaching the Finals in the lockout-shortened season. They rode Latrell Sprewell, Patrick Ewing and Allan Houston in an unexpected run. The Knicks were the first No. 8 seed to reach the Finals, where they lost to the Tim Duncan-led San Antonio Spurs in five games.

The 2023 Miami Heat are the only other No. 8 seed to make the Finals, falling to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Another fun fact about that 1999 Knicks team: Rick Brunson was a rookie guard on the roster. Brunson's son, Jalen, is now the Knicks' best player.

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