Brunson dogs are set to enjoy the Eastern Conference finals.

Paw-sitively Excited for Playoffs

When the Knicks make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, dedicated fans are ready to cheer on their team alongside furry companions. One such fan, named Josh Oquendo, has a 2-year-old pit bull named Brunson, after point guard Jalen Brunson, the player Oquendo views as a game-changer for the team.

“It just seemed right,” Oquendo, a Bronx native, shared while watching a game with his pup, noting how Brunson’s ears perked up every time the announcer mentioned Jalen’s name.

Another fan, Nicole Pereira from Rochester, named her Australian Labradoodle after the same player during his debut season with the Knicks. Pereira, who also graduated from Villanova, has her dog sport a No. 11 jersey for special occasions and loves when the game gets exciting.

“He really gets into it. When we settle down on the couch, he’s right there with us,” Pereira, 41, said, looking forward to the upcoming playoffs with her dog adding to the family fun.

Nick Carbonara from Staten Island has had some humorous experiences with his 7-month-old Cavapoo, also named Brunson. Whenever the Knicks play and he shouts Jensen’s name in excitement, his dog looks worried, thinking maybe he did something wrong.

“I can be a bit intense as a fan,” Carbonara, 43, admitted. He initially had plans to name the pup after Yankees captain Aaron Judge, but that changed when his son met the dog at an event.

Lauren Beckman, influenced by her die-hard Knicks fan husband, has a Cavapoo named Sir Humphrey Branson. She jokingly recalled how crushed her husband was during the team’s struggles in the ’90s, going as far as locking himself away for a week.

New Jersey resident Briana Tarabochia and her fiancé, Andrew Santonocito, adopted a small goldendoodle named Branson this January. She mentioned how athletic the dog seems, impressing friends during Knicks watch parties.

“He jumps so high! People are amazed,” Tarabochia, 28, said, sharing that she was convinced to adopt the dog after allowing her fiancé to name him.

As the couple prepares for their wedding next year, they plan for Branson to play an important role as one of their ring bearers, complete with a tuxedo for the event.