After the Knicks defeated Indiana in Game 2, fans couldn’t hide their joy at what was happening. As they were leaving Madison Square Garden, segments of the Knicks fan base broke into a chant that was practically a declaration of war.
It’s clear to everyone that the Celtics are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, and calling them straight out when the Knicks aren’t even in the Eastern Conference Finals will only invite problems for the team.
This is especially true as Rick Carlisle and the rest of the Pacers bench feel slighted by the quality of officiating in the first two games. The last thing they want right now is to give Tyrese Haliburton and the rest of the Pacers the motivation to beat them in consecutive games.