By Jennifer Glickel and Jim Scott
DNAinfo Staff
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN — LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire partied in Manhattan the night before the Knicks and Heat were to square off at Madison Square Garden, according to news reports.
James, who notoriously snubbed Manhattan in favor of Miami, and Stoudemire, the Knicks newest superstar, hung out at Chelsea nighclub 10ak, the New York Post reported.
The two sat at separate booths, the Post said. Heat star Dwayne Wade, James' girlfriend, actress Gabrielle Union, and model Amber Rose, who's been reportedly dating Stoudemire were also there.
But it doesn't seem like the good times will affect Friday night's tilt at the garden.
"Staying focused. Big game tonight," Stoudemire tweeted Friday. "Been loving the energy at the Garden. Let's Go!"
New York basketball fans from Chelsea and beyond will be out in force Friday night to give LeBron James a Bronx cheer when the Knicks take on the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden.
Knicks fans were stunned as James chose Miami over New York and Cleveland when he made "The Decision" to take
his talents to South Beach in July.
New Yorkers are sure to make their displeasure known every time James touches the ball on Friday.
"Tomorrow night is going to be epic," Ragime Franklin, 20, of Queens, said of Friday's game.
New York fans are back on board the Knicks bandwagon now that the team is winning and playing inspired basketball for the first time in nearly a decade.
"The Knicks (are) back, we're definitely back. I'm so excited," Franklin said.
New York (16-10) didn't land James in July, but they inked forward Amar'e Stoudemire who's been the catalyst for the team's early success. Stoudemire has scored a team-record 30 points or more in nine straight games, with the team winning eight of those.
New York's inspired play has been a revelation for Knicks fans.
"They had us stressed out for, like, 10 years … this is a stressful city, so we need the Knicks to win for us," Franklin said.
Stoudemire scored 39 points in a 118-116 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday in one of the most entertaining games of the NBA season thus far.
Madison Square Garden was alive in an entertaining back-and-forth game that had fans in the rafters and court side A-listers on their feet.
"They're just a lot more exciting than they've ever been and, as a New Yorker, I've been following them since I’m a teenager, and this is the most exciting I’ve ever seen them," said Financial District resident Lonnie Passy, 29.
Knicks fans hope Friday's game is just as exciting, but this time they want to come away with a win. Nelson Castillo, 20, was confident that New York will blow the Heat away on Friday.
"[The Knicks] are going to beat them real bad," the Bronx resident predicted.
A win against the star-studded Heat would go a long way toward proving that the Knicks are a team to be reckoned with. And, more importantly to some fans, it'll send a clear message to LeBron.
"We're going to show LeBron that we don't need him," Franklin said.
