Yes, Knicks Fans Really Did Smash a Taxi After a Historic Playoff Win
“New York Knicks fans smashed a taxi following a historic win”
The argument in brief
Following the New York Knicks' stunning comeback victory over the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA playoffs, video circulated online showing fans jumping on and damaging a yellow taxi cab in New York City. This claim is true. NBC New York, the New York Post, and ESPN all confirmed the incident, with footage showing the destruction near Madison Square Garden.
Why it spread
People were already primed to share anything connected to the Knicks' historic win. When dramatic footage of a smashed taxi appeared on top of that emotional high, it spread instantly — some sharing it in celebration, others in shock. Visually striking crowd behavior during a major sports moment is almost impossible to scroll past.
This one is real. After the New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals, some fans celebrated by smashing a yellow taxi cab in the streets of New York City. Video of the incident went viral, and multiple major outlets confirmed it happened.
The context matters here. The Knicks had just pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent NBA playoff history, clawing back from a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate Boston. That kind of win — the type fans wait decades for — tends to send emotions into overdrive.
The New York Post published video footage showing fans jumping on and damaging the cab near Madison Square Garden. NBC New York independently reported on the same incident. ESPN also covered the destructive behavior as part of its broader reporting on the series win. The sourcing is solid across the board.
To be fair to skeptics: viral sports celebration videos are frequently misattributed, staged, or pulled from unrelated events. It is always reasonable to question whether footage actually matches the claimed event. In this case, though, the timing, location, and multiple credible reports all line up.
This story spread so fast partly because it checks two boxes at once — an underdog triumph people wanted to celebrate, and shocking footage people wanted to share in outrage or disbelief. That combination is social media rocket fuel. If you see a similar viral clip in the future, check whether a named outlet with a reporter on the ground has confirmed it before passing it along.
Sources
- New York Post
Video footage circulated on social media showing Knicks fans jumping on and damaging a taxi cab in New York City following the Knicks' historic comeback victory over the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA playoffs.
- ESPN
The New York Knicks completed a historic comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals, sparking celebrations in New York City that included some destructive behavior.
- NBC New York
NBC New York reported on fan celebrations following the Knicks' series win, including viral video of fans damaging a yellow taxi cab near Madison Square Garden.
Related debunks
- FalseNo, There Isn't a Shortage of Summer Jobs for Teens — The Data Shows the Opposite
- Partially FalseNot Quite: Teen Summer Jobs Are Actually Near Historic Highs Right Now — Here's the Full Picture
- UnverifiableNo Verified Evidence for '207 Killed' in U.S. Narcoterrorist Strikes — The Number Can't Be Confirmed