New York City should be preparing for its biggest sports day ever in less than a month
For many sports fans the summer time is considered the slow season, but this summer is going to be packed with action especially for those in New York City.
Knicks fans are probably still shaking off the hangover from a couple nights ago. New York swept Cleveland to advance to the NBA Finals and the Big Apple was partying like it was 1999. Now New York City could be heading for one of the biggest sports days ever with the World Cup and NBA Finals set to collide.
World Cup meets NBA in epic NYC sports day
Most of those who were partying in the streets of NYC on Monday were not born the last time the Knicks won the title. That was back in 1973, but it has been a cold and lonely abyss for Knickerbockers since then. New York is back to the finals for the first time since they lost to the San Antonio Spurs almost 30 years ago, and could have a finals rematch with the new look Texas team.
They will patiently wait for their opponent out of the Western Conference as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are locked in an air tight series. The Knicks will have a week off either way. We may not know who they are playing, but one thing is for sure, Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for Wednesday, June 3rd.
Many in New York are circling the date June 16th on their calendars, and that’s because that is the day that maybe, just maybe the Knicks beat either the Spurs or the Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals in Madison Square Gartden to win their third NBA title in franchise history. That would just so happen to line up with the Group I opening match up between France and Senegal in the World Cup.
Melting pot of sports
The 2018 World Cup champions and runners up of the World Cup in Qatar will kick off their campaign to reclaim the cup from the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Fans from all over the world will converge on New York and New Jersey to see the one of the favorites to lift the Cup open their tournament on U.S. soil.
That will be a 3:00 p.m. ET kick off which means the match will be done and dusted well before the Knicks tip off from Madison Square Garden at 8:30 p.m. ET, should a Finals Game 6 be necessary. That will give soccer fans plenty of time to take the train up to 7th Avenue and get ready for what could be the biggest party New York has seen maybe ever.
One thing is for sure, France and Senegal will play on that day. What we don’t know is if a Game 6 will be needed. The way the Knicks are playing lately, they could be eyeing a third consecutive sweep, but it won’t be as easy against the Spurs or Knicks as it was against Philadelphia and Cleveland. The Thunder, who are leading the Spurs 3-2, also swept two of their series before meeting the Spurs. Not matter if it’s San Antonio or OKC, there is a very good chance Game 6 will be needed, and who knows if NYC will have a chance to close it out just hours after the World Cup match.
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