White sneakers and signature shots: What The Post will remember most from Knicks title run
As the Knicks prepare to celebrate their first NBA title in 53 years, The Post’s writers and columnists provide insight into the indelible moments they’ll remember forever from this championship season and legacy this team will leave after an incredible run.The final buzzer went off for Game 5 and my mind went to two places: Jalen Brunson and my sneakers.Neither was for sentimental reasons.The sneakers are clean and white, a proud accomplishment I’ve been able to maintain, shockingly, throughout an entire season in airports, snowy slush in Toronto and the sticky floors of every NBA arena.
A league official warned prior to tipoff that the sneakers would certainly be doused by champagne if the Knicks win, and maybe stained with cigar ash or beer or whatever else tends to spray in the locker room celebrations.I’m not accustomed to these things covering the Knicks for 11 years.Remember — they didn’t celebrate the NBA Cup very enthusiastically.“Oh yeah,” the NBA PR person said.
“RIP to those sneakers.”Brunson was on my mind for a practical reason.He was the subject of my column that required filing ASAP.
And through the typing, it crossed my consciousness — too briefly to put in the story — that I couldn’t recall Brunson’s first game with the Knicks.When a player of his magnitude joins a team, the first appearance is usually a big deal.
We all remember Carmelo Anthony’s “Coming Home” game.Since I was there, the Knicks debuts of Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose are also logged in my memory.
They were certainly the subjects of my story those nights.But Brunson? The outlook of his impact seemed so mediocre that there’s no recollection.As it turned out, Brunson debuted on Oct.
19, 2022, in Memphis.It was a thrilling overtime loss for the Knicks and the hero — the subject of my main story — was … Cam Reddish.Brunson had 15 points — fewer than Reddish, Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Of the 10 Knicks to play that nigh...