How important is this victory to the New York Knicks?
Just look at the old tears pouring down Gary Payton's face.
Before the season started, the harsh New York media wasn't kind to Gary Payton.
"The New York Times" claimed: "He's so old that even police search dogs smell him and mistake him for a corpse, barking wildly."
You can imagine how unpopular Gary Payton is in New York, given his performance with the San Antonio Spurs last season; New Yorkers don't like this guy who openly clings to success.
But this victory in the game showed Payton that all these hardships were worth it.
He doesn't care whether the New York media and fans like him; he's long past needing their affection to prove his worth.
He only cares about one thing now: whether he can wear a ring when his career ends.
It's obvious that the New York Knicks have such capability.
