Fans of New York Presents: Ben Garner’s Night to Remember at the Garden
New York fans were allowed to attend games at Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center this week. We got the chance to speak with Ben Garner who was in the stands Thursday night for Kings vs Knicks. Garner spoke to us about his Knicks fandom, the fan experience at the Garden, as well as what it was like to be one of the 2000 people rooting for one of the most enjoyable teams Knicks teams fans have witnessed in quite some time.
Once there was the announcement that fans would be allowed back in the arena, my family who has been starved for live sports knew we were interested in attending a game at MSG. My father, my brother, and I thought there wouldn’t be a chance to get tickets seeing as the capacity was limited but when individual game tickets went up online we were able to find seats for a relative bargain.
One of the many new aspects of the fan experience was the protocols, but they were done in a very thorough manner. We all were COVID tested 72 hours before the game, and thankfully all came back negative. At the Garden, we were greeted by a friendly and welcoming staff, and there were clear guidelines about how to proceed. Our test results and IDs were checked, and we filled out an additional health survey via the MSG app. The apprehension to attend an indoor event is easy to understand, but the staff made us all feel safe and they could not have been more hospitable. I am willing to get my nose and brain swabbed as many times as possible if it means getting to cheer on these Knickerbockers.
I attended the game with my father, my brother, and a close family friend. We are orange and blue to the core, my brother specifically hasn’t missed watching a Knicks game in years. We base our schedules, including dinner, around Knicks games. My brother has attended 18 home games in 2019 but had not seen the team win since the 2018 opener against the Hawks, so we knew we had to get to the Garden for the chance to see a Knicks win and break the streak. Knicks fandom for our family goes beyond the sport as it means so much to us as far as tradition goes. One tradition we would have is attending the Christmas game at MSG, which this past year we were not able to do together; those games mean a lot to us because the Christmas game in 2017 was the last time we went to a game with my mom before she passed and it was one of the last really meaningful moments for all of us to share together. So the Garden for us always provides an emotional and warm experience.
Once we were in, the environment of only 2000 fans in the stands was a little bit different but it honestly felt like we had 2000 of the most diehard fans at the Mecca. There was a certain comradery that we shared with fans erupting into cheers across sections of the arena. Everyone there knew all of the dynamics of this particular Knicks team. There didn’t seem to be people there just to show it on social media or anything like that, it was 2000 people who bleed orange and blue. There is electricity with a fully packed arena, but this type of experience was different in the best way possible.
I have been at the Garden for Knicks playoff games as well as big games where we went up against LeBron, Carmelo, Giannis, Embiid, and others but I wouldn’t trade the experience I had at this game for any of them because of the uniqueness of the situation and with how much we missed being in the stands. The ability to cheer on Frank and IQ without anyone around you telling you to sit down was also very enjoyable. We were able to hear a lot of the players and coaches on the court more so than in past games, and it was actually refreshing to have the game be the focus throughout the entire experience; as much as I loved the Knicks City Dancers and Knicks Kids at games growing up, it was an incredible experience to have no interruptions from the game itself.
Frank Ntilikina plays his first Knicks game since December 29th 2020 😍😍😍@FrankLikina pic.twitter.com/C9Qhf57Fud
— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) February 26, 2021
The details of the game itself were special too, with Immanuel Quickley and Julius Randle both going off, we were a big part of the “We want Quickley” and “MVP” chants as we kept up high energy throughout the game. Seeing Frank come in the first quarter was incredible, that’s how you know it was 2000 real Knicks fans because the roof nearly came off the Garden for a player who quite frankly deserves more playing time. It might have been 2000, but with the cheering and chanting it felt like 20,000 at that moment. Words don’t do it justice. Even at the end, we were going nuts for Alec Burks and Taj Gibson, we even threw in a couple of “We want Knox” chants going in our half of the arena.
This is arguably the most excited about a Knicks team I have ever been. Watching the development of young players and seeing Julius blossom into a verified All-Star has been exciting beyond words. Quickley plays like a seasoned veteran, and Obi, while there are still some questions, has shown he has the potential to be a legitimate NBA player. But it’s about the other guys too, down to Theo Pinson cheering from the sidelines in his Concord XIs. Reggie Bullock rocking the Kobe Grinches, and RJ Barrett becoming more confident in his abilities. Tom Thibedeau has instilled a sense of unity around this team. The players play hard for each other, everyone has a role, and if someone is out it’s the next man up. I was equally dubious about the Derrick Rose trade, his previous tenure with the Knicks being less than stellar, but he has immediately become a leader in the locker room and is selfless on the court. The year is 2011 and Derrick Rose has never been hotter. Watching Zoom interviews of the players joking around is just great entertainment.
But ultimately to be there in person was surreal. Six players in double figures, Burks draining threes, Noel blocking shots, Frank coming in, IQ’s 4 point play, Julius with crucial baskets late in the third. I mean it was just amazing. Watching it play out on TV is one thing, but all of us being there together, it felt like we were part of the action and part of this team. And for the first time in a long time, it feels real, like these Knicks are trending towards something special. And I can say I was there for the first Knicks win with fans. Simply awesome. The future is bright. Playoffs, here we come.
If you attended or have plans to attend a Knicks or Nets home game this season, we want to hear from you!
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