At ten in the morning, New York traffic began to clog up as countless vehicles headed toward Madison Square Garden. Fans in the cars rolled down their windows, waved Knicks flags, shouted slogans, and answered one another's chants.
The traffic police along the roads had already taken their posts, directing traffic in an orderly manner. Quite a few of them wore Knicks jerseys and smiled broadly, clearly loyal fans of the team themselves.
By noon, the restaurants and bars along the streets were packed with fans there to watch the game. Everyone ordered food and beer, eating while discussing the upcoming matchup. The atmosphere had reached a fever pitch.
The televisions in the restaurants continuously replayed highlights from the Knicks and Lakers' previous six games. Whenever Li Fei hit a clutch shot or Sprewell pulled off a spectacular drive, thunderous applause and cheers erupted throughout the restaurant.
At two in the afternoon, with four hours left before tipoff, the area around Madison Square Garden was already a sea of people. The fans' enthusiasm had reached its first peak.
This was the Knicks' home court, the holy ground of New York basketball, and a place of faith in the hearts of countless fans. Today, it would bear witness to the ultimate showdown that would decide the championship.
The streets around the arena were crammed with crazed Knicks fans. Their outfits came in every imaginable style, fully displaying the wild passion of New York fans.
One fan had covered his entire body in Knicks blue paint, painted the team logo on his face, worn an exaggerated blue wig, and waved a huge blue flag in his hand. He kept shouting, "Go Knicks!" wherever he went, drawing cheers from all around.
Another group of fans wore matching custom-made T-shirts emblazoned with the words,