Charles Barkley gave a glimpse of the MSG atmosphere ahead of the semi-final clash. The New York Knicks breached Philadelphia’s fortress once again after eliminating the Sixers in Game 6. Now that the semi-final series between the Indiana Pacers and Knicks is locked and loaded, the NBA legend dropped a warning for Tyrese Haliburton & Co. ahead of East Conference semi-finals Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.

Jalen Brunson & Co. brought the sizable number of Knicks fans at Wells Fargo Center alive with a thrilling 118-115 win over the home side. Following the game, Inside Guys star Barkley predicted the MSG’s atmosphere in Game 1 at the post-game analysis for TNT. He said, “That place (MSG) gonna be electric. The Knicks are gonna be on fire. I always talk about the breathing, under pressure because everybody gets nervous. Control your breathing, control your heart rate.”

He further revealed the reason why the Pacers should keep their heart rate in check. Chuck went on to speak about the NY fans’ mood after the series win; adding, “When they go to Madison Square Garden on Monday night, they haven’t won a playoff game (series) in 10 years… It’s gonna be a shock to their system especially playing there.” 

Big Apple fans have developed a reputation for being the most boisterous crowd. They often engage in giving a ‘true New York-spirited’ welcome to their opponents. Speaking on his return to the MSG as a Celtics player, Kristaps Porziņģis said, “They’ve ramped up again a little bit… The biggest stage, and again, receiving the boos. It is what it is.” It’s not just fans in the crowd, even the star-studded courtside fans also get into the act for their favorite. Notably, rapper Fat Joe dropped a video after the Game 2 win, stressing on the importance of the victory as a Knicks fan.

The New York Knicks playoff record

Given the impressive fan following and the presence of Hollywood in every game, the Knicks don’t have a pretty trophy cabinet. In their 78 years since inception, the Knicks have only won two NBA titles (1970 and 1973). While they had a strong presence in the 20th century, it changed to not having much to celebrate in the 21st century.

Since 2001, the Knicks have managed to win only two playoff series. In their last season under the leadership of Jalen Brunson, the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 4-1 record. And in 2013, they beat the Boston Celtics with a 4-2 record. The last time they went deep in the postseason was in 2000, back when they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals.

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The hype surrounding the fairly inexperienced Knicks side has skyrocketed as they closed out well in the regular, snatching the 2nd seed with a 50-32 record. Even though Brunson received all the praise for his offensive abilities, it was Josh Hart who sneaked in the series win. With the game tied at 111 and every Knicks sharpshooter locked up by the defenders, Hart sank a game-defining three-pointer with 25 seconds left on the clock.

Will Hart provide yet another magical performance to take the team to the Conference Finals? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.