NY Islanders star Matthew Schaefer witnesses iconic Knicks comeback in NBA Finals

Matthew Schaefer has made it clear over the last year that he loves Long Island.

From embracing New York Islanders fans to becoming the face of a franchise desperate for a new star, Schaefer has looked completely at home since arriving in New York.

But on Wednesday night, he may have fallen in love with something else.

Basketball.

The city of New York.

And maybe even the New York Knicks.

Ironically, it all happened at the home of the Islanders' biggest rival, Madison Square Garden. Schaefer had gone to a game during the team's four-game sweep against the Philadelphia 76ers, but this was on an entitirely other level

Schaefer was in attendance as the Knicks pulled off what will go down as one of the most memorable nights in franchise history, storming back from a 29-point deficit and a 20-point fourth-quarter hole to defeat the Indiana Pacers 107-106 and take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

For a player still learning New York sports culture, there may not have been a better introduction. Schaefer wasn't the biggest star in attendance - not by a long shot, as he was rows away from the likes of Taylor Swift, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Knicks legends and many more, but none of that mattered. He was an 18-year-old with a front row seat to sports history.

"I didn't watch much basketball growing up, then being able to come to New York and watch the Knicks is pretty cool," Schaefer said during a street interview outside The Garden that was posted by The Athletic.

That statement might sound innocent enough, but anyone who witnessed last night's atmosphere knows there was nothing ordinary about what Schaefer experienced. An Instagram story posted after the game showed the Islanders star taking in the celebration after the final buzzer as thousands of Knicks fans erupted around him. It was the type of moment that reminds people why New York remains one of the greatest sports cities in the world.

And for Schaefer, it was likely unlike anything he had ever seen.

The good news for Islanders fans is that this probably won't be the last iconic New York sports moment he witnesses. If all goes according to plan, Schaefer won't just be attending them.

He'll be creating them.

Still, from a fan's perspective, it will be difficult to top a Game 4 that turned into the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. Not bad for a kid who admitted he didn't watch much basketball growing up.

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