New York Knicks: 2012 Squad Making Basketball Fun in New York Again

The New York Knicks ended last season with a 4-1 opening round series loss to the Miami Heat. The fact that the Knicks made the playoffs was enough to boost the fanbase and get them excited for Knicks basketball again.

However, after the lackluster performance against the eventual Finals Champions, the Knicks had a lot of work to do if they wanted to actually compete next year.

The offseason was both good and bad for the Knicks. They saw sensation Jeremy Lin go to the Houston Rockets, they signed Jason Kidd, traded for Marcus Camby, re-signed J.R. Smith and traded for Raymond Felton.

These moves shook up the Knicks' lineup in an attempt to finish better than their 36-30 record from the previous year.

No one would have suspected this would lead to the start the Knicks have for the 2012-2013 season, jumping out to a 13-4 record and holding down the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks' new-found spark has rejuvenated the team and the fanbase of New York City. Basketball is popular again in the city that never sleeps, finally giving die-hard fans something to cheer about.

With the hockey season still on ice for right now, the Knicks are the only team playing at Madison Square Garden. And they are living up to the greatness of the building in which they play.

The latest fan-pleasing moment the Knicks provided was a buzzer-beating shot by J.R. Smith in the final seconds against the Bobcats in Charlotte last night.

The Knicks were down eight points in the final six minutes of the game and forced five turnovers on the Bobcats' last six possessions.

With the score tied at 98, Smith hit an 18-foot fadeaway jumper to lift the Knicks to their fourth straight win.

For the fans of New York, the Knicks are relevant again!

With the success of the new kids on the block, the Brooklyn Nets, the Knicks have some competition.

A new cross-borough rivalry may be brewing, which could ignite two great fanbases and franchises for years to come.