Monday’s Game 2 matchup between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers featured one of the craziest endings to a playoff game in recent memory. And on the MSG broadcast of the game, Mike Breen only made the ending even sweeter for Knicks fans.
The Knicks were able to come back from a five-point deficit with under a minute to go thanks to a bobbled-inbound pass by 76ers star Tyrese Maxey.
In the span of 30 seconds of game time, the Knicks went from being down by five to leading by one point, capped off by a three-point make from Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo to give his team the lead.
Breen certainly matched the energy level in Madison Square Garden, breaking out the “double-bang” call on DiVincenzo’s make, something that Breen has reserved for only the greatest of highlights in the past.
"DiVincenzo a three… BANG! BANG!!!! Knicks take a 1 point lead with 13 seconds remaining!! THE GARDEN IS SHAKING RIGHT NOW!" – Mike Breen
The Knicks win Game 2️⃣ and take a 2️⃣-0️⃣ series lead!!! pic.twitter.com/ipZVZVw770
— x – KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) April 23, 2024
“DiVincenzo a three… BANG! BANG!!!! Knicks take a one-point lead with 13 seconds remaining!! The Garden is SHAKING right now!! What an incredible sequence!”
Even though it is only a first-round playoff matchup, this moment for Knicks fans is certainly among the most notable in recent memory. And naturally, MSG viewers were quite appreciative of Breen’s energy on the call of this wild sequence.
https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1782596719068524911
it makes me so incredibly happy that it was mike breen who got to call the greatest knicks playoffs moment of the past 25 years — basketball is beautiful pic.twitter.com/AU7SjUY2zC
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) April 23, 2024
The fifth double-bang in Mike Breen history belongs to Donte Divincenzo.
The craziest finish in Knicks history. pic.twitter.com/08bRjE9DU5
— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) April 23, 2024
If you were curious about all of the previous “double-bang” calls from Breen in the past, here is a video that shows just how rare the call truly is from him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEOpfvzipDE
This moment had to be special for Breen given his history with the Knicks. He has of course become beloved by nearly every NBA fan since joining ESPN’s NBA coverage back in 2006. But his roots at MSG covering the Knicks in particular date all the way back to 1997.
The Knicks would go on to complete the comeback and win the game 104-101 to go up 2-0 in the series. And Breen’s call of the comeback for the Knicks will certainly be a moment that many Knicks fans will not soon forget.
