I’m not sure anyone on the planet had the balls to pick the Knicks to win Game 1.
On the road. In hostile Boston territory. Against the defending champions. In a season series that you went 0-4 with three blowouts. Many (including myself) assumed a gentleman’s sweep or some variation of dominance by the team in green.
Now granted, it can still happen, but a win in Game 1 that sent shockwaves through the NBA world made people think twice about a series that nobody picked New York to win.
But still, it was anything but perfect.