New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday that multiple NYC streets will be co-named to honor New York Knicks players for the remainder of the Knicks’ playoff run.
All 15 players on the Knicks’ current roster will be recognized with street signs, including superstar guard Jalen Brunson, as 7th Avenue and West 11th Street has become Jalen Brunson Boulevard:
The announcement was made ahead of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which will see the Knicks host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
The full list of temporary street names is as follows:
As part of Wednesday’s announcement, Adams said the following regarding the decision to celebrate the Knicks in such a unique way:
“The Knicks embody the spirit of New York—resilient, passionate and unstoppable. On the path to a championship, we recognize the hard work and determination that has gotten this team to the Eastern Conference Finals and we’re celebrating this team by temporarily co-naming our city streets so all New Yorkers can celebrate their Knicks pride. Nearly 8.5 million New Yorkers, and millions more, are behind the New York Knicks as they continue this incredible journey.”
New York is in the playoffs for a third straight season, but after getting eliminated in the second round twice in a row, the pressure was on for the Knicks to go on a deeper run this time around.
That was far from guaranteed, though, as they were the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics after going 51-31 during the regular season.
The Knicks survived a tough challenge from the Detroit Pistons in the first round before shocking the defending NBA champion Celtics in the second round by eliminating them in six games.
Now, the Knicks are set to face a Pacers team that eliminated them in a classic second-round series last season, which needed all seven games to be decided.
The Knicks will play in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 when the Pacers beat them in six games.
One season earlier, the Knicks beat the Pacers in six games in the ECF and reached the NBA Finals.
If New York can find a way to get past Indiana again, it will play in its first NBA Finals since 1999 against either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Minnesota Timberwolves.
