Fans Return to New York Arenas for the First Time in 11 Months
Left: Julius Randle giving a pre-game speech. Right: James Harden & Kyrie Irving sharing a moment. Photos from NBA.com
There was something poetic about the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks both having home games on the same night as fans returned to the arenas for the first time since the NBA shutdown in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last night, the small but passionate crowds of 2,000 people at Madison Square Garden and 300 people at the Barclays Center, represented a step towards normalcy for the city. The optimism for the pandemic beginning to get under better control due to the vaccine rollout has begun to match the optimism the Nets and Knicks’ fan bases have about the current iterations of their teams. Not only were the games a watershed moment for the city as it begins its recovery process but also the NBA All-Star reserves were announced prior to tip-off, and the Nets’ James Harden was selected, as was Julius Randle to represent the Knicks. These selections (along with All-Star starters Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving) have given the fans a lot to cheer about as they socially distance in their homes, and now to a small extent, in the arenas. To learn more about the processes behind going to games during an on-going pandemic, check out the article Concrete’s Ben Jacob wrote by clicking here.
Below are some of the most notable fan-moments from the homecoming events in both Manhattan and Brooklyn:
If you attended either game in-person last night, or have plans to attend a Knicks or Nets home game this season,
Concrete wants to hear from you! Email hello@concretenewyorksports.com to get in touch with us.
