The Knicks fever is hitting the Big Apple with a double “bang” strong enough to shake even the strongest Nets fans’ loyalty.
Bars outside the Barclays Center — staunch Nets territory — have been buzzing with anticipation and excitement as the Knicks give the Celtics a run for their money.
For many, the reason is simple.
“It’s New York or nothing,” Perry, a bartender at That Bar on Bergen Street who is suspending his Nets fandom in support of the Knicks this week, told The Post.
Friday’s Game 6 against Boston could be the determining factor for the Knicks, who will have their chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 — and keep alive the city’s dreams of a Cinderella-run straight to an NBA championship.
The New York team is up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series against the defending champions, which included two heartstopping back-to-back wins on the Celtics’ home turf.
But the possibility that the Knicks could beat the Celtics in a playoff series — a feat they haven’t accomplished since 2013 — is enough to turn any New Yorker into a Knicks fan this spring — even die-hard Nets fans.
“New York all day. During the season, it’s Brooklyn only. I’m making an exception for tomorrow because the Nets aren’t in it and I am rooting for New York,” said Beaz, 33, a Brooklynite enjoying a drink at BK9 Bar Thursday night.
Chari, a Knicks fan drinking with friends nearby, agreed, saying continuing a rivalry amid such a historic time in Gotham would be the ultimate betrayal.
“I feel like it’s easy to hop on the hate bandwagon. There’s a really good energy in the air right now. Like, New York should just be interested in New York winning, should support the cause,” Charli, of Brooklyn.
“Let the Knicks win, let us win. Nets are not an option. You guys are not even a contender. Let New York win, for the energy, for the culture.”
A Knicks win would be momentous for the city, said Cynthia Brown, who was watching the Nuggets game at McMahon’s Public House.
“I want the Knicks to win cause I feel like we haven’t seen so many people happy right now because New York is so stressful, everybody is going through a lot.
“New York needs this. If they win, they’re gonna put a smile on everyone’s faces… I feel like the Knicks give people so much energy,” the nurse in her 30s continued.
“I want to experience what my mother saw in 1999 and 2000. I wanna see that ocean of blue on Atlantic Avenue.”
Edward Lawrie, 29, emphasized that it didn’t matter whether the Knicks or the Nets made it to the playoffs — New Yorkers should be supporting either one.
“It’s a New York thing. Tomorrow it’s just about New York. If the Nets were playing, I would have gotten a Batman costume and put the Nets across my chest,” Lawrie said.
“That’s how much I would have been rooting for the Nets if the Nets were playing tomorrow,” Lawrie, a chef from Harlem, said, calling Friday’s game “sacred.”
Still, some diehard Nets supporters haven’t been able to completely shake their loyalty — including Chris, who said he was “very conflicted” on who he should root for this playoffs.
“I’m not going to be sad if Boston wins. That might sound very, you know, not good for Knicks fans. But I mean, I wouldn’t be sad if they win,” he said.
At the end of the day, however, he conceded he was excited that a New York team was in the running: “I’m a Mets fan, but if the Yankees make the playoffs, great, it’s good for the city of New York. It’s fun.”
But not all Nets fans are willing to openly admit their traitorous ways.
Colette Reilly, a bartender at McMahon’s near the Barclays Center, says many Nets fanatics come in disguise to cheer on the rival New York team.
“I think the Nets fans secretly still want New York to win because, you know, it’s New York, we all want to win. And it’s Boston, so why would we not want to beat them?” she said.
“They don’t come with, like Nets gear for a Knicks game. No… When the Knicks play it’s all blue and orange everywhere. Everyone was all dressed up coming in and all the girls had their blue on and it was a bit of a party going on, so it was fun.”
Other basketball fans out in Brooklyn on Thursday adamantly refused to convert to the Knicks fandom out of pure vitriol for the team.
“I have friends that are Knicks fans that are annoying, and I do not want them to celebrate, throughout the years, a new championship. I do not want them to win. ‘Cause if the Knicks win this series, I believe they will make it to the finals,” said Kahliel of Brooklyn, a Bulls fan and self-identified “number one Knick hater.”
For Cam, 40, he was concerned that the first Knicks playoff win in over a decade would pose a public safety issue.
“If the Knicks win, New York would be Gotham City and we don’t need that. So the Knicks will lose the series if they lose tomorrow,” Cam said, adding that he’s neither a Nets or Knicks fan.
“There’s a lot of hope and a lot of praise for getting to the second round. They’re having a great year, but eventually all Cinderellas come to their end, and when it does end, I just hope that they accept that they had a good year and press reset because it’s not their time.”
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