Triumph of the underdogs: New Yorkers are reveling in the Knicks and Mamdani

New York City, hardly a city deprived of energy, is having a moment. In the past two weeks, the bars have been even more packed than usual. Several nights a week, usually at around 11pm, there has been a seemingly synchronized honking of horns. Walking around the city, it doesn’t take long to find out why. People wearing New York Knicks jerseys are high-fiving each other, and Knicks flags fly from cars, windows and bodegas, as people celebrate the team reaching the NBA finals – and having the chance to overcome five decades of (mostly) failure. That’s not the only thing fueling the vibe in the city. In January, New York installed one of its youngest-ever mayors, a man who energized weary voters not just in the city, but across the US and around the world. And as the Knicks have conquered all before them, Zohran Mamdani , the 33-year-old democratic socialist and a noted sports enthusiast, has served as a high-profile cheerleader, goading opponents on social media and cheering the team on among the rank-and-file fans: fans who hardly need any encouragement. Fans watch game six of the NBA playoffs at a bar in New York City on 31 May 2025. Photograph: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images “It’s beautiful for the city. If it’s a rainy day, but the Knicks are winning, then it’s a sunny day,” David Hamilton, a military veteran-turned-comedian and producer, said of the atmosphere. “It’s very hopeful, very optimistic. It’s probably cliche, but sports is that sometimes unifying distraction. …