The New York Knicks are two wins away from their first championship since 1973, leading the San Antonio Spurs 2-0 in the NBA Finals, and a new survey of 3,000 U.S. adults reveals that America is rooting for them to get there. But it also shows the country is already bracing for what comes next.
According to research from Casino.org US, they found that 46% of Americans are backing the Knicks in the Finals, compared to just 10% rooting for whoever plays them. That is a lot of goodwill for a fanbase with a complicated reputation, and the numbers only get more interesting from there.
What America Really Thinks About a Knicks Championship
GettyNew Survey Reveals Why America Is Already Dreading a Knicks Championship
The same report mentioned above provides us with more insight into the data. The support is real, but so is the skepticism. Over half of all respondents, 52.5%, agreed that New York sports fans become unbearable when their teams win. The part that stings: 42.9% of Knicks supporters said the same thing about their own fanbase.
That self-awareness does not seem to be slowing anyone down though. Among people actively rooting against New York, 63% said the fans are annoying, 36% admitted they simply do not want New York fans to be happy, and 43% called the Knicks overhyped. The hate is pretty organized.
And it goes beyond just the fanbase. Nearly 46% of respondents said the worst part of a Knicks title would be the fans, the media, the celebrity bandwagon, or the “New York is back” circus that would follow. Almost 28% expect to be either forced to hear about it forever or find the whole thing genuinely unbearable.
Part of that celebrity fatigue has a face. Among those who named a courtside figure, 45.3% said Kylie Jenner makes the Knicks hardest to like. Spike Lee, a Garden fixture since the Patrick Ewing era, came in second at 22.6%. Celebrity Row has never exactly been a neutral presence, but these numbers show it is actively working against the team’s likability.
Knicks vs Spurs Game 3 NBA Finals 2026: What to Expect at MSG Tonight
GettyAmerica Wants the Knicks to Win—But There’s One Major Catch
The series now moves to Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks can take a 3-0 lead tonight at 8:30 ET. No team in NBA history has ever come back from losing the first two Finals games at home to win the championship, so San Antonio is in a tough spot.
Karl-Anthony Towns has been the story of this series. He is averaging 19.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists through two Finals games, and has already set the record for most assists by a Knicks center in a single postseason. His individual battle with Victor Wembanyama has tilted firmly New York’s way.
The Spurs have relied on Wembanyama far too much, whereas De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Julian Champagnie have not been consistent. These players are what San Antonio needs to step up tonight, or this series could be over before it even reaches Game 4.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson admitted his team has had good stretches but failed to capitalize, pointing to undisciplined moments and the Knicks making the right plays when it mattered most. The Garden crowd will not make that any easier tonight.
The Knicks are two wins from ending 53 years of waiting, and if that survey is any guide, the celebration at Madison Square Garden will be loud enough for the rest of the country to dread it from miles away.
New Survey Exposes Growing Backlash as New York Knicks Move Closer to Title