Knicks guard Jalen Brunson speaks after the championship parade
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson speaks after the championship parade
The Knicks will get their ring night on October 20. Then they have to play Philadelphia right after it, with the whole league watching and a very different 76ers group on the other bench.
The banner ceremony starts at 6:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden, followed by the opener at 7. LeBron James makes his Philadelphia debut that night, and Jaylen Brown is part of the new group trying to crash New York’s celebration before the confetti is even a memory.
I actually love this for the Knicks. Championship teams do not need a soft launch in front of their own crowd. Put the ring in their hands, play the big video, and then make them prove the party did not make anybody comfortable.
Knicks championship parade vehicle carries a Jalen Brunson mural
A Jalen Brunson mural during the Knicks championship parade. Credit: Brenden Willsch-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
The Knicks will have to make the night about basketball
There will be a lot of emotion in the building, and rightfully so. A 53-year wait ended with a title. Nobody should pretend that is ordinary, especially for a fan base that has spent years watching other teams get the big moments.
But Philadelphia is not showing up to clap through the ceremony. The 76ers have loaded up, and opening night gives them a clean chance to say the East does not belong to New York for long.
Jalen Brunson knows the job better than anybody. He was Finals MVP, and the celebration will rightly have his fingerprints all over it. The next part is different. The Knicks now get everybody’s best shot instead of sneaking up on anybody.
Banner night can be a warning shot too
There is no need to panic over one October game. There is also no need to act like it will be a normal opener. The Knicks will have the opponent, the spotlight, and the expectation waiting as soon as the ceremony ends.
Winning a title changes the deal. Fans can enjoy every second of that banner going up. The players need to turn around and protect it.