Video captures Knicks fans celebrating historic comeback projected on the side of a brick building

If you didn’t already know the name OG Anunoby , you’re about to learn. He’s a Power Forward/Small Forward for the New York Knicks , and his tip-in in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs brought the house down at Madison Square Garden.

But this isn’t really about him. Nor is it about the super supportive celebrity fans, both new and old, to the franchise. (Director Spike Lee comes to mind, and he deserves every bit of happiness right now.) This is about the tried-and-true fans and their sense of unbridled joy uniting a community of all races, genders, boroughs, and tax brackets.

In an viral Instagram post, we see a “watching party” where people are viewing the game projected on the side of a building. One doesn’t even have to be there to feel the energy in the crowd and absorb their hopeful anticipation. When the winning point is scored at the last second, their cheers become high-pitched squeals. Hands go up, hugs are given, and countless selfies are taken to commemorate the fact that they were there. They were all in it together.

Of course, fans in the comment section seemed overjoyed. One shares, “I know WE know this, but there really is no city like NYC.” Another gleefully posts, “This is so incredible to watch whether you’re a sports fan or not. Go Knicks!”

The truth is, had it been the Spurs who won, that would have been reflected in their cheers too. It’s the idea that a common “win” (that frankly everyone could use right now) can lift spirits beyond the individual self and make it a collective victory. It also didn’t hurt that it put the Knicks just one game away from winning it all after over a century of losses. (Not to mention the Knicks were down 29 points and came back with the biggest comeback in playoff history.)

On a Reddit post sharing the same video clip (the OP wishes to remain anonymous), the comments were erupting too. One Redditor shared, “NYC is through the roof right now. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Of course, it was noted that there was a bit of wild, not-so-safe chaos in the city as well. But commenters were quick to point out that those weren’t the real fans. One Redditor shares, “THIS is the real New York. Shared experiences and passion for what you love. Yes, there are idiot fans who do stupid s–t—and wayyyy too many of them—but there were millions more out there doing this instead.”

Another person concurred that there were more of these kinds of celebrations than the negative ones. “More of this please. Fans who are celebrating and enjoying the vibes probably make up the majority of the Knicks fans,” they wrote.