As the New York Knicks ride a wave of momentum in the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals, their impact is being felt far beyond the hardwood. After securing a 3-1 series lead over the Boston Celtics with a dramatic comeback win in Game 4, the Knicks have not only taken command of the series but also of the secondary ticket market.

The announcement of ticket prices for the upcoming games has sent shockwaves across the NBA world! While Game 5 in Boston remains relatively accessible, with an average resale price hovering around $188, it’s Game 6 in New York that has sparked headlines.

With the Knicks potentially closing out the reigning NBA champions at Madison Square Garden, ticket prices for Game 6 have surged to an eye-watering $900 on average. That number marks the most expensive ticket price for a non-Finals NBA game in league history, according to multiple secondary marketplaces, including Vivid Seats and TickPick.

Earlier in the series, the pricing madness had already begun. Game 3 at MSG saw upper-tier tickets listed for as much as $98,791. While that was an extreme outlier, the cheapest get-in price for that same game was still north of $700, making it the most expensive Knicks ticket ever recorded.

Fans online have reacted with a mixture of disbelief and awe. Some joked that for $98,000, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Shaq, and Bill Russell better all be suiting up. Others questioned whether the price was just a listing or if someone had actually paid it.

Now, Game 6 is shaping up to surpass that. The reasoning is layered. This is the Knicks’ first chance to punch a ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000—a drought so long that most Gen Z fans weren’t even born when Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston were headlining playoff runs. Add to that the Tatum injury clouding Boston’s prospects, and you’ve got a game with historical weight and unpredictable consequences.

The price spike is also a signal of fan hunger. The Knicks, long mocked for dysfunction, now look like one of the grittiest, best-coached teams in the league. With Jalen Brunson playing at an All-NBA level, despite an injury and role players like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo stepping up, MSG has become a cauldron—and New Yorkers want in.

Moreover, it speaks to the electricity in the building. This isn’t just another playoff game. For Knicks fans, this is catharsis. This is proof of life. What was once a punchline has become a pilgrimage.

And if there was ever any doubt about the vibe, Game 4 settled it. From Jalen Brunson’s 39-point masterclass to Karl-Anthony Towns bulldozing Boston’s frontcourt with ruthless efficiency, the Knicks weren’t just winning—they were owning the moment. Celebrities packed courtside, including Timothée Chalamet, who screamed “Let’s f—ing go!” at the final buzzer. The Garden wasn’t a stadium; it was a spectacle. Every fan wants to be a part of this electric energy.

Outside, Seventh Avenue turned into a street party. Inside, the Celtics unraveled—Jaylen Brown struggled, Kristaps Porzingis disappeared, and Joe Mazzulla looked lost. What was once a clash of contenders now feels like a coronation in the making. The Knicks are relevant again—and New York knows it.

No Jayson Tatum, no mercy

For all the noise in New York, there’s a quiet panic setting in across the Charles River. With Game 5 looming, Boston isn’t just trailing 3–1—they’re staring down an existential crisis.

Let’s be clear: Tatum’s injury is seismic. He was the Celtics’ lifeline in Game 4. While Jaylen Brown battled foul trouble and the bench went cold, Tatum kept the ship afloat, even as the New York Knicks stormed back. His 42-point effort was gutsy, relentless, and surgical. But now? He’s in a walking boot. The team has no official update yet, but head coach Joe Mazzulla has confirmed Tatum will undergo an MRI. And until then, all Boston can do is wait—and hope.

So what does Boston look like without its engine?

The Celtics have gone 8–2 without Tatum this season, a stat that offers hope on the surface. But those games weren’t playoff showdowns at Madison Square Garden. They didn’t have Jalen Brunson blitzing drop coverage or Karl-Anthony Towns punishing mismatches. They didn’t have the weight of a dynasty-in-progress teetering on a torn ligament.

Without Tatum, the offensive hierarchy shifts sharply. Jaylen Brown becomes the focal point, and while he’s capable, his Game 4 performance didn’t inspire confidence. He finished with 14 points and five fouls, often forcing shots and fading in key stretches. Kristaps Porzingis, once a weapon, has looked like a ghost of himself—seven points, poor rim protection, and minimal impact in what should’ve been a revenge series.

There’s also the locker room dynamic. Tatum isn’t just the Celtics’ best player—he’s their culture-setter. He leads by example, never loses his cool, and commands gravity on both ends. Without him, the Celtics lose more than points. They lose identity. And here’s the kicker: the Knicks know it.

They smell blood in the water. Their fourth-quarter execution has been masterful throughout the series. They’ve outscored Boston in the final frame of every game, turning deficits into daggers. If Tatum can’t go in Game 5, or worse, for the rest of the series, New York Knicks won’t just try to win—they’ll try to bury the dynasty once and for all.

And then came the moment no one wanted, but everyone will remember. When Tatum went down, the hush in Madison Square Garden said it all—respect for a star, fear of the unknown. But as the game resumed, the energy returned. Not in celebration of pain, but in celebration of possibility. Knicks fans have lived through decades of letdowns, of watching greatness from afar. Now, for the first time in years, they’re not spectators to history. They’re writing it. If New York closes this out in five, it won’t be cruelty. It’ll be a culmination.

It will be the most New York thing imaginable.

As for Boston, they’re not out yet. But they’re on life support. And unless someone steps up—Brown, Porzingis, White, or Mazzulla himself—Game 5 in TD Garden might be the final act. Knicks in 5? It’s no longer a prediction. It’s becoming a reality.