"Linsanity" was on full display outside AmericanAirlines Arena Thursday night as the Miami Heat defeated the Knicks 102-88.
An Obama lookalike shook hands with supporters as celebrities flocked to the game, among them were Knicks superfan Spike Lee, who took his courtside seat. Floyd Mayweather and Chad Ochocinco sat on the sidelines as well.
Local
"The Heat of course! They're the best," said the impersonator when asked who he was supporting.
With so many New Yorkers in the audience, there were almost as many Knicks jerseys as there were Heat.
"This is Knicks City! Half the fans in here are Knicks fans!," shouted a spectator.
All night long the New York-Miami rivalry got fierce.
Heat fans, boiling over, had "Linough."
The Rev. Abraham J. Thomas came dressed in his Heat finest, a red and black tux with a placard that read: "Linsaness is fantastic, but not here!"
Fans blamed "Linflation" for the high price of their seats. Some reported paying three times as much as the seats are normally worth. Some estimates put the average seat at $700 Thursday night. Secondary ticket sites sold seats for as much as $10,000.
Love him or hate him, even the most diehard Heat fans gave credit where they saw it was due.
"It's a great story. I think what he's doing for the NBA is amazing," Heat fan David Martinez said.
