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These are New York’s premier Knick-elodeons.
After sweeping the 76ers in a stunning shutout, the Knicks are headed to the Eastern Conference finals, earning a shot at their first NBA title in over half a century.
En route to this historic milestone, the blue and orange ballers notably won seven playoff games in a row, during which they scored a combined 185 points — an NBA record.
The only thing standing between them and the finals is the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a thrilling seven-game series ahead. Per the BetMGM Sportsbook, the New York Knicks are a 6.5-point favorite over the Cavs in Game 1 of their showdown, which goes down Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
As a service to orange- and blue-blooded fans, The Post rounded up some of the primo meccas for catching the home team try to fulfill their hoop dreams, rather than breaking the bank on wildly expensive tickets for tonight’s Madison Square Garden game.
Mustang Harry’s
Can’t make the game? This Midtown joint (352 7th Ave) is plastered with massive TVs, even in the restrooms, so fans never miss a moment of the big game.
Thanks to a convenient partnership with MSG, Mustang Harry’s gives away themed towels and T-shirts as well as a Knicks stress basketball for fans to squeeze during what are sure to be some white-knuckle moments.
Owner Ian Conroy, who runs the pub with his brother Niall, said the atmosphere during the playoffs has been “bananas” compared to the regular season.
“The Knicks create a hysteria in New York and we all are hungry for a Knicks win,” Conroy told The Post, adding that food and beverage sales shoot up by 200 percent when the home team is taking the court
Penn 6
Located just steps away from the Knicks’ home base, Penn 6 (132 W 31st St.) is about as close as one can get to catching a live game sans being at the Garden.
This is due in part to their 17-foot video wall and 20-foot projector screen in the main dining room, plus another 100-foot TV in the bar area and 10 additional TVs throughout, allowing fans to see the game in super high definition.
With all that tech, the DJ is there only to enhance the watch party atmosphere.
Standings
Those who want to enjoy their Knickerbockers away from the MSG mosh pit can take refuge in Standings (43 E 7th St.), a runty, low-key East Village sports dive with only 10-12 stools.
What they lack in size, they make up for in supersized Knicks fandom. Standings take sports so seriously that they don’t even play bar tunes.
“We don’t play music, just game sound,” owner Gary Gillis told The Post. “We’re for people who are serious about the game.”
Unlike the taverns full of fratty casuals angling for bargain booze, the sports bar honcho said that they attract a “knowledgeable customer” who “wants to watch and converse” about sports.
Just like Jalen Brunson, they’ve got some incredible hops, boasting a mix of taps and bottles encompassing a wide selection of IPAs, stouts and pilsners.
Pig Beach
As one of four Knicks-affiliated venues in Queens, Pig Beach (35-37 36th St.) provides a meat-laden oasis for basketball fans, making it feel like you died and went to ball-hog heaven.
At 28,000 square feet with 60 TVs and a 30-foot jumbotron, this pork purveyor is one of the best spots to watch the Knicks’ championship bid in any of the five boroughs.
“When it gets cranked in there, the energy is off the hook,” Shane McBride, Pig Beach’s Executive Chef and co-owner, told The Post. “It feels like you’re just in the crowd at a game.”
To complete the effect, the bar is festooned with flags, life-size cardboard cutouts of players and more. Along with offering $5 deals on four or five varieties of beer and award-winning BBQ options, Pig Beach also does memorabilia giveaways — although, as McBride notes, the goods disappear almost immediately due to throngs of fans.
The meat maven noted that their customer numbers go from 20-30 people during the regular season to hundreds during the playoffs.
O’Keefe’s Bar & Grill
Serving the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood for over 45 years, the Irish Pub has more than 20 screens, making it the place to “pregame” in BK (62 Court St.) during the Eastern Conference Finals.
Depending on how the games go, fans can celebrate their triumphs or drown their sorrows in O’Keefe’s expansive selection of brews and bloodcurdlingly crunchy and cheesy nachos.
Bronx Alehouse
NYC’s northernmost borough can be a bit of a barren wasteland when it comes to sports bars.
Thankfully, the Bronx Alehouse (216 W 238th St.) has been showing every game of the Knicks’ post-season winning spree.
Along with some sports entertainment, they also offer a sprawling selection of elevated pub snacks, including 14 flavors of wings and the best craft beers in the Bronx from Seattle’s Elysian Brewing Company and Industrial Arts Brewing Company in Beacon, NY.
Ralph’s Sports Bar
Even being marooned on NY’s lost borough shouldn’t preclude Knicks fans from getting their fix.
Enter Ralph’s (1571 Richmond Road), a family-owned establishment on Staten Island that features over a dozen screens.
As the SI standby declares on their Instagram page, “Game time at Ralph’s Sports Bar means big screens, loud energy, and a crowd that lives every play. Grab your crew, order your favorites, and turn tonight into a true Knicks watch party.
Spectators can enjoy watching their favorite team while tucking into traditional bar fare like burgers, bumping elbows with Italian classics such as pizza and pasta.
The crown jewel is arguably the Grand Slam Burger, a high-octane meat monument stacked with four patties, a favorite of both sports fans and competitive eaters alike.
Those who successfully finish get their photo on Ralph’s Wall Of Fame along with a social media shoutout.
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