Knicks Fan Pays Witch To Cast Spell On Pacers' Eastern Conference Finals Series

The Knicks were on the brink of elimination at the time when this request was allegedly made. Coming home, down 3-1 in the series to the Pacers, the Knicks needed all the help they could get. It may be pure coincidence that the Knicks won Game 5 with the score 111-94 and a Game 6 in this series is confirmed. 

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns put on a show for the fans in Game 5. They became the only duo since Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 2002 to score 20 points each in five consecutive games of a Conference Finals series. Brunson finished the game with 32 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 66.7% from the field (12 of 18). Meanwhile, Towns had 24 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 50% from the floor (10 of 20).

If the Knicks somehow win this series from here, it will reinforce the delusions of the Knicks fans and may encourage others to take up the same practice. But for a rational Knicks fan, they will just thank their stars that their team pulled off a statistical improbability. 

According to sources, only 13 teams in NBA history (in 297 series where a team went down 3-1 in Game 4) have pulled off a comeback from being in this position. The 2015-16 Cavaliers are the only team to come back after being down 3-1 in the NBA Finals and win Game 7. The 2019-20 Nuggets are the only NBA team to come back from a 3-1 series deficit multiple times in the same year.

With a Game 5 win, the Knicks cannot afford to take their foot off the gas pedal. Every game from here onwards is still an elimination game until they reach the Finals (if they do). The Knicks have not gone to the NBA Finals since Patrick Ewing led them there in 1994 and 1999. They haven't won an NBA championship since 1973. Therefore, it is understandable that fans are desperately willing to do anything for their team's success.