Knicks All-Stars Carmelo Anthony, Julius Randle Take in Liberty Playoff Win

New York basketball stars were on all areas of the sidelines as members of the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets took in a historic New York Liberty playoff win.

For just over two precious hours on Tuesday night, blue, orange, black, and seafoam united in the name of metropolitan hardwood glory.

New York Knicks All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Julius Randle were among the sellout crowd on hand at Brooklyn's Barclays Center to watch the New York Liberty take a 90-85 decision from the Washington Mystics. The extra session proved to be just enough to take a two-game sweep of the best-of-three set, giving the Liberty an opportunity to play for their first WNBA Finals berth since 2002. Tuesday's win also served as the Liberty's first postseason series victory in eight years. 

Anthony, a Brooklyn native and also a collegiate star at Syracuse, received a deafening response when introduced on the Barclays Center video board. Perhaps aware of the rivalry between the Knicks and Nets ... and the Liberty's former association with the former ... mentions of Manhattan were kept to a minimum. 

Highlights of Anthony playing for the United States' men's national basketball team, for example, were used to introduce the recently-retired All-Star on "CeLIBERTY Row." Randle was not publicly introduced to Brooklyn but ESPN cameras caught him sitting a few seats down from Anthony and Liberty/Nets co-owner Clara Wu Tsai.

After the game, Anthony shared a conversation with fellow New York native, Team USA star, and all-around basketball legend Breanna Stewart, who closed out her first postseason series with the Liberty on a 27-point note. 

Just two kids from New York who have done amazing things on the hoop scene, @breannastewart and @carmeloanthony 🤝 @nyliberty pic.twitter.com/gGVnvZ4Vfu

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 20, 2023

Joining Anthony and Randle was Brooklyn Nets rival Mikal Bridges, who has been a mainstay on the Barclays Center sideline throughout the WNBA season. Other notable public figures in attendance included Sue Bird, Stewart's former Seattle Storm teammate and another recent retiree, two-time American World Cup-winning goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, rapper Fat Joe, and actor Jason Sudeikis. 

The de facto New York basketball summit came shortly after another Liberty star, Sabrina Ionescu, publicly remarked that the bearers of seafoam have played the "best basketball" the roundball-loving city has seen in recent memory. Liberty reps have spoken highly of Brooklyn visitors' efforts from the stands, creating a de facto 12th woman effect that's been hard to beat.

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"We have a great homecourt we want to protect that," head coach Sandy Brondello said, recalling the volume of the Liberty's 90-75 victory over Washington in Game 1 last Friday. "It's great for the players. If you need a little bit of push, I mean, if the crowd can't get you that, there's something wrong with you."

"I hear it, but I don't, because I'm always just focused. But I was trying to do an (in-game) interview and I was like, 'Oh my God, I didn't know what you're saying. It was fun because that's just making it a hot ticket." 

The Liberty will hold homecourt advantage for their upcoming semifinal series, which tips off on Sunday afternoon at Barclays Center (1 p.m. ET, ESPN). They'll face either the Connecticut Sun or Minnesota Lynx, who will do battle in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.