The New York Knicks have booked their spot in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs after eliminating the Atlanta Hawks with a 140-89 Game 6 win. The Knicks’ two losses came by a margin of one point, so the franchise is looking like the most secure top seed in the East right now after the struggles of the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons.
This is an exciting time for all Knicks fans, who have a genuine chance at returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. One such fan is Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway, who’s been spotted courtside at Knicks games in the past. There was a viral moment of her sitting courtside with her family as OG Anunoby almost crashed into them while trying to recover a loose ball near the sideline during a game against the Chicago Bulls in November 2024.
Hathaway appeared on ‘The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon’ to promote her new movie ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ where she recounted the story of Anunoby almost crashing into her. She also revealed that she almost wore an Anunoby Knicks jersey to the show instead of a dress to show support for the franchise amid their Playoff run.
“I considered wearing an OG jersey out here today. When I’m at the game, I want them to know that I know who they are and that they’re going to win. I want them to know, ‘You can do no wrong,’ like a gentle motherly fan.”
“I don’t know what this says about me, because I was so focused on the ball. I was so excited. You know, when you’re a kid, you dream about maybe one day sitting close to the action. It’s the dream of every sports fan, where the ball comes to you, and you catch it.”
“I missed the whole thing, I was so excited about the ball that I didn’t expect something better would happen. It was that OG was going to be right there. He was coming at me, time slowed down, and I just knew he didn’t want to hit my family or me, not any more than I wanted to be hit.”
While Hathaway wasn’t in attendance for the Knicks’ Game 6 win on the road against the Hawks, she probably knows by now that Anunoby played a key role in ensuring the Knicks got the job done without a Game 7. Her fandom for the Knicks is also reflected in the movie, where Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns makes a cameo appearance.
The English forward led the team in scoring with 29 points (11-14 FG), seven rebounds, two assists, and four steals. He did this in just 27 minutes of action, scoring 26 points in the first half.
The Knicks comprehensively blew the Hawks out in this win, allowing all the starters to rest in the fourth quarter. It wound up being the most lopsided game in NBA Playoff history, as the Hawks went home on the back of a 51-point loss.
Anunoby averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in the regular season and is averaging 21.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Hathaway won’t have to worry about attending a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden this weekend as the Knicks wait to find out if they’ll face the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round. She can enjoy the release of the sequel to her highly acclaimed 2005 movie before locking back into the throes of fandom during the NBA Playoffs as the Knicks look to advance further.
