For ten seasons, Friends shaped what it meant to be a young person in New York City in the 1990s. Additionally, if you lived in New York throughout the 1990s, you were most likely enthralled with the New York Knicks' craze. The Knicks were the lifeblood of the city, whether it was because of the Patrick Ewing era, the thrilling playoff runs, or simply the prestige of owning seats at "The Garden." The Knicks periodically took center stage (or court-side) in the lives of Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe, who were frequently preoccupied with their own lives. 

Here are five episodes that proved the gang - especially Chandler and Joey - were true Knicks fans at heart.

The nineteenth episode of the fourth season of the show, where Rachel and Monica somehow land themselves season tickets to the Knicks. Now, it is not worth anything to them as they are not huge fans of sports, let alone the New York Knicks, but not Joey and Chandler. When they see those tickets, they are enamored by the seats, which, according to Joey, were “almost on the floor.”  

Now, the pairs are at odds because Chandler and Joey want the tickets, and the girls want their apartment back, which they lost to the guys in a bet. But tickets in exchange for the apartment are an uneven trade for the guys, but they do it anyway, all for the love of the Knicks. Fortunately, they ended up winning the tickets and the apartment, but not for long, as when they returned from enjoying the game, the girl had already switched up the apartments, and the order was once again restored.

Nothing tests a New Yorker’s loyalty like the intersection of a massive sporting event and a major life milestone. In the 23rd episode of season one, the gang is in the hospital waiting for Ross’s ex-wife, Carol, to give birth to his baby. While everyone seems to be caught up with one thing or the other, Joey finds himself bonding with a single pregnant lady over a Knicks game. The conversation that started with an argument soon took the route of care and affection. 

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Joey, being the caring and kind-hearted guy he is, remains by her side throughout the delivery process, and it kind of felt like it was leading to something between the two. But as fate had other plans, the real father of the baby shows up and apologizes to the mother of his child for not being there for her. Ultimately, the Knicks game comes up once again, only for this time, the girl, who hated the Knicks initially, is happy at their victory.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Rachel has a crush on a guy from work, basically, her client, but she is not able to ask him out on a date, as she has never in her life asked out a guy before. So, Joey gives a brilliant idea to offer the guy something he cannot refuse, like the Knicks tickets. A clever idea, as who in New York does not like the Knicks. 

Racheldoes as told, but in her nervousness, she tells her crush that she has two tickets to the Knicks as thanks for the wonderful week at work. The man did not get the hint and took both the tickets - one for himself and one for his nephew, who is crazy about the Knicks. When taunted by Ross that she got shot down on her first attempt, she angrily replies, “I got the date. I am just not on it.”        

Wizards-Knicks game…courtside! Maybe Michael Jordan will dive for the ball and break my jaw with his knees,” Joey’s exact words in the opening scene of episode nine of season nine, and the happiness on his face while saying those words - only a true New Yorker can show that. Anyway, the whole premise of the episode revolves around Chandler being torn apart between spending time with his wife, whom he has not seen in a week, or going to the Knicks game with his best friend. 

Instead of doing the honest thing and telling Joey the truth that he wants to spend time with Monica, he lies and tells him that he is not coming. But he did come, and that leads to confusion, making Joey believe that Monica is having an affair. He eventually finds out about the lie, Chandler apologizes, and Monica gives him permission to go to the game. But this was not the ending the show needs; it needs to end on a funny note. So, the fun twist is that on their way out, Chandler realizes that the game is the following night.

“Yeah, the Knicks rule!” - that is the only thing tying the New York Knicks to the episode, but it seems enough. The third episode of season three opens with Monica trying to start a jam business just to get over her ex-boyfriend Richard, and she was really into it for the first few minutes of the episode. 

She quickly switches plans, and she now wants a baby. She gets some profiles of potential donors from the S**** Bank, and one of the profiles happens to be of our very own Joey Tribbiani. Monica reads the description from the profile out loud, and the only thing he reacts to is “Knicks rule.”      

These Friends episodes truly showcase New York's fervor for the Knicks and what the team means to the city’s pride. Similarly, as New Yorkers, the Friends group understood what it meant to be a Knicks fan in the never-sleeping metropolis, whether they were fighting to watch the playoffs, agonizing over tickets, or attempting to build a personal connection. They always had the Garden, even when their romantic relationships were failing. This connection still feels pretty evident by the way New York is celebrating the Knicks' historic final comeback right now. 

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Which one of these Friends episodes is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments.