Brian Windhorst has seen a lot over his decades of covering the NBA, but even he might not have been fully prepared for what happened outside Madison Square Garden after the New York Knicks demolished the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series.
With the Celtics’ title defense officially ended, and Jayson Tatum sidelined with a torn Achilles, Windhorst became a target for one particularly fired-up Knicks fan looking to extract a little revenge.
In a now-viral video posted, the ESPN analyst is seen walking through the streets of New York, backpack on and earpiece still in from a recent TV hit. The fan approached him with an imaginary microphone and asked,
“How do you feel about Boston losing?” Windhorst, ever the professional, started to answer calmly. But before he could finish a thought, the fan interrupted, unleashing a profanity-laced tirade: “I don’t give a f**k. Knicks in 6, p***y. Talk all that s**t now!”
This Knicks fan did Windy dirty
(h/t @mirthee1st) pic.twitter.com/WoHj8dhM1R
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 17, 2025
Throughout the series, Windhorst, like many other analysts, had held firm in his belief that Boston, even without Tatum, had the pedigree and structure to make things interesting.
After Game 5, when the Celtics briefly kept their season alive, he praised their resilience. But all of that confidence collapsed in Game 6 when the Knicks routed the Celtics 119-81 at home. With the victory, New York punched its ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
Naturally, the Knicks faithful, who have endured decades of heartbreak, didn’t forget who believed in Boston a little too long. Fans flooded Windhorst’s mentions on X (formerly Twitter), reminding him of his analysis and crowing about the Knicks’ dominance.
To Windhorst’s credit, he handled the moment with grace. He chuckled, smiled, and continued walking without engaging. It was a seasoned response from a journalist who’s spent years in the NBA spotlight and knows better than to take heckling personally, especially in New York, where emotions run high and fans wear their pride louder than anyone else.
The irony is that Windhorst wasn’t even overly dismissive of the Knicks in his coverage. Like most national analysts, he acknowledged their grit, Jalen Brunson’s leadership, and Tom Thibodeau’s defensive schemes.
But his consistent belief in the Celtics’ system and star power, even after Tatum’s injury, rubbed some New Yorkers the wrong way.
The heckling moment became symbolic of the broader shift happening in the East. For years, the Celtics had been the class of the conference. Now, with their title defense in ruins, the Knicks have a legitimate claim as contenders.
And with the city buzzing, fans are making sure every doubter, Windhorst included, knows just how personal this playoff run has become.
Windhorst, ever the pro, let the moment pass with dignity. But the message was loud and clear: the Knicks are back, and their fans aren’t letting anyone forget it.
