Key keywords: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks, Mike Lupica, NBA good old days, Madison Square Garden atmosphere, 2024 NBA Playoffs, Knicks championship contention, Patrick Ewing era, Tom Thibodeau Sports columnist Mike Lupica’s latest viral piece has sparked widespread conversation among NBA fans, as he argues that Jalen Brunson and the current New York Knicks roster are successfully reviving the golden era of Knicks basketball that defined the 1990s. For decades following the end of the Patrick Ewing-led playoff runs, the Knicks struggled with inconsistent leadership, disappointing roster decisions, and a lack of the signature grit that made the team a beloved staple of New York City culture. That all changed when the franchise signed Brunson as a free agent in 2022, a move that has reshaped the entire identity of the organization. Lupica, who has covered New York sports for over 40 years, notes that the electric atmosphere at Madison Square Garden for recent home games is indistinguishable from the peak years of the 90s, when sellout crowds screamed so loud the arena floors shook, and A-list celebrities from Spike Lee to Jay-Z lined the courtside seats to cheer on the team. This season, the Knicks finished with a 50-32 record, good for second place in the Eastern Conference, powered by Brunson’s career averages of 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game, paired with a top-3 league defensive system implemented by head coach Tom Thibodeau. Midseason trades for forward OG Anunoby and guard Malcolm Brogdon added even more depth to the roster, turning the Knicks from a fun playoff team into a legitimate championship contender. In his column, Lupica highlights Brunson’s unflappable leadership as the core of the team’s success. The 27-year-old point guard has earned a reputation for delivering his best performances in high-pressure moments, including three 40-point games in the first two rounds of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Fans have taken to calling him “the heart of New York basketball”, and merchandise featuring his name and number has been the top-selling NBA player gear in the Tri-State area for six consecutive months. For long-suffering Knicks fans who have weathered years of losing seasons and missed playoff opportunities, the current run feels like a long-overdue return to form. Local bars across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens are reporting record turnout for game watch parties, and ticket prices for home playoff games have risen 320% compared to the 2023 playoff season, a clear sign of the city’s renewed excitement around its home team. Lupica closes his piece by noting that the Knicks don’t need to win a championship this year to have already brought back the good old days – the energy, the passion, and the sense of shared community around the team is already exactly what fans have been missing for 25 years.