Tomorrow is get-even time for Knicks fans as they hope to avenge a 102-88 Game 1 loss to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals in Indianapolis.
“They’ll come back! They’re resilient. They always have to be pushed against the wall,” said Sam Males, 40, who watched last night’s game at the All-Star Cafe in Times Square.
“They always have to have adversity,” he said. “I don’t give up. It’s easy to throw in the towel. You’ve got to stay loyal.”
Tim Burns, 31, a Suffolk County cop, took the loss in stride.
“They’ll beat Indiana, definitely!” he said.
“You can count on losing a game or two, but they’ll get the split on Thursday night.”
The Knicks and Pacers face off for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The eventual conference champ goes on to play for the NBA title.
This series marks the sixth time in the past eight years the Knicks and Pacers have faced off in the postseason.
The Knicks beat the Miami Heat in a grueling seven-game matchup to reach the conference finals – and fans said that 4-3 series win took its toll.
Termaine Darby, 24, a model and actor from Brooklyn, attributed last night’s defeat to “fatigue from Miami.”
“We need a night to recoup,” he said. “The Knicks are always coming from behind. This’ll just give us more motivation.
“It’s just another obstacle to overcome.”
Fans also were looking forward to the seeing the Knicks bring the series home to Madison Square Garden on Saturday – when they’ll get a chance to let Knick nemesis Reggie Miller know what they think about him.
“By Game 3, they’ll be home and all of New York will be behind them,” said Brooklynite Rejane Vilmenay.
Gerald Tisdale, 38, a credit analyst from The Bronx, said, “There are still six games to go.
“They have the will and determination. The key to them is their heart. They bounce back quickly.
“It’s all about will and desire.”