The roar of Madison Square Garden still echoes in my ears as I sit here with my late-night coffee, scrolling through the Knicks ESPN highlights on my tablet. I’ve been a Knicks fan since the Ewing era—through the ups, the frustrating downs, and those fleeting moments when the Garden truly feels like the basketball cathedral it is. Tonight’s game against the Celtics was one of those gritty, defense-heavy battles that make you bite your nails down to the quick. But as I rewatched the key plays—the way Randle powered through double teams, Brunson’s clutch three-pointer with 1:12 left on the clock—I couldn’t help but think about teams playing with something to prove. That raw, almost angry energy. It reminded me of a conversation I had recently about teams carrying a chip on their shoulder, and my mind drifted to a team halfway across the world: the San Miguel Beermen in the Philippine Basketball Association.
You see, I follow international leagues pretty closely—it’s a habit I picked up during the NBA lockout years—and the PBA has this unique intensity. Last season, San Miguel, a franchise used to dominating, suffered a painful Philippine Cup finals defeat. But what really stung, according to insiders like analyst Trillo, was their failure to even make the playoffs in the Commissioner’s Cup. Trillo also expects San Miguel to play with a chip on their shoulder especially after missing the playoffs in the Commissioner’s Cup last conference, aside from the Philippine Cup finals defeat last season. That’s the kind of setback that either breaks a team or forges them into something fiercer. I see parallels with our Knicks, honestly. Remember when they missed the playoffs for what felt like an eternity? That hunger changes a team’s DNA.
Watching the Knicks ESPN breakdown tonight, I noticed how our defense forced 18 turnovers—a solid number, though I’d argue it should’ve been closer to 22 given the Celtics’ sloppy ball-handling in the third quarter. It’s that relentless pressure, that unwillingness to back down, that makes me believe this squad is building an identity. They’re not just playing; they’re answering critics. Sort of like how I imagine San Miguel will come out swinging in their next conference. There’s a beautiful chaos in teams that have been counted out. I’ve always preferred underdog stories, even when the underdog is a historically great team that’s hit a rough patch. It’s human. We connect more with the struggle than the effortless victory.
Take RJ Barrett’s performance, for instance. He dropped 28 points tonight, but more importantly, he fought for every loose ball. There was one play where he dove on the floor, scraped his knee—you could see the blood through his tights—and still managed to call a timeout. That’s heart. That’s playing with a chip. And it’s not just an NBA thing. Over in the PBA, when a team like San Miguel feels they’ve been disrespected, you see that same fire. I reckon they’ll lean heavily on June Mar Fajardo, their star center who averages around 18 points and 12 rebounds when he’s fully healthy. But stats only tell half the story. The real magic happens when pride is on the line.
I’ll admit, I’m biased toward teams that embrace that underdog mentality. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a neighborhood where you had to fight for every opportunity, or maybe it’s just more fun to watch. When I tune into Knicks ESPN analysis, I’m not just looking for cold, hard stats—I want to feel the narrative. How is this team responding to adversity? Are they playing like they have something to prove? That’s what separates good teams from memorable ones. And honestly, it’s why I’ll be keeping an eye on both the Knicks and teams like San Miguel this season. Because when you’ve been knocked down, every game is a chance to stand taller. The Knicks showed that tonight, and I have a feeling we’re in for one heck of a ride.
France Ligue 1 Matches Today
