Many in the media claimed the Knicks had lost the core of their team with the departure of Zach Randolph, Eddie Curry, and Jalen Rose. Many people also said this series would cement LeBron James's legacy, marking his true ascension over Little Sheep Su Xi and validating the original order of the 2003 draft class.
But Madison Square Garden Arena was still packed with over twenty thousand fans, all of whom had paid premium prices for their tickets.
For the Knicks fans, even if they were facing incredible odds, even if the team was likely to lose, they would still stand behind them. This past season had given them too much excitement and passion to do otherwise.
Even the notoriously fair-weather New York fans found the grit and determination to defend their home court.
When Su Xi took the court, the entire arena erupted in chants: "MVP! MVP! MVP!"
