The streets outside of Madison Square Garden were unusually quiet. The usual crowds of fans crowding in blue and orange, squeezing into bars and restaurants were absent. The only sign that there was anything going on inside the Garden was a small line of workers waiting for a COVID test to gain access to what normally would be a hot ticket.
The Knicks held their home-opening game Saturday night, hosting the Philadelphia 76ers in the Mecca that seemed like an abandoned warehouse. Blue tarps covered the seats in the lower bowl, a huge Knicks banner provided a backdrop to the scorer’s table and the team benches.