Coming off the heels of a disappointing Game 6 loss in Indiana where Jalen Brunson looked lost in the first half, Josh Hart injured his abdomen, and Alec Burks and Donte DiVincenzo combined to shoot just 8-22, the vibes and energy heading into the pivotal Game 7 were mixed.
There were feelings of hope and belief that this team—one that had shown us its will to come away with improbably wins throughout the season—would do so one last time in front of the Garden home crowd. Those feelings were only strengthened less than 24 hours before the game when reports surfaced that both OG Anunoby and Hart would give it a go in the deciding game.