"DA POPE IZ A BROTHER": Knicks superfan Spike Lee invokes heavenly powers as NYC looks to bury Jayson Tatum & Co. in Game 3

The New York Knicks are two wins away from their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000. They hold a 2-0 series lead over the defending champion Boston Celtics in the second round with a chance to complete the sweep on their home court. Ahead of Saturday's Game 3 in Madison Square Garden, Knicks superfan Spike Lee is looking everywhere for support, including the new pope.

Spike Lee is a staple at Madison Square Garden, sitting courtside at almost every Knicks home game, cheering on his team. He, along with ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, are unapologetic supporters of New York and have reveled in their team's playoff run so far. Lee understands how important the game is to his team, but he pointed out that they might have a higher power on their side.

Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was revealed to be a sports fan by reporters as he was elected to replace Pope Francis. While he supports the Chicago White Sox in Major League Baseball, Lee hopes that a recent clipping from the Daily News paper is a good omen.

Both Pope Leo XIV and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson are praying on the front page of Saturday's edition of the paper. Lee offered his interpretation in an Instagram post he put up that morning.

"Dear heavenly [father], [orange and blue] skies deliver for us today," said Lee, joining Brunson in prayer. "Dat's 'Da pope iz a brother truth, Ruth.' Ya-dig? Sho-nuff."

Knicks fans are rightfully excited for the game on Saturday afternoon, and Madison Square Garden is expected to be an energetic atmosphere. New York has been waiting a long time for their team to make a deep playoff run and even longer to win a title. A Game 3 win brings them that much closer to doing both.

What do the New York Knicks have to do to win Game 3?

While they are up two games to none in the series, the Knicks barely escaped Boston with each win. They won the first two matchups by a combined four points, needing overtime in Game 1 and a defensive stand at the end of Game 2. However, their 2-0 lead is a big one in the playoffs. Less than 10% of teams that fall behind 0-2 in the postseason have been able to win the series.

It could be argued that Jayson Tatum and the Celtics beat themselves as much as New York did in the first two games. Boston set a playoff record for the most missed three-pointers in a two game span after a regular season that saw them take and make the most threes in the league. Head coach Joe Mazzulla's offensive strategy resulted in two cold shooting nights and two losses.

The Knicks are slightly favored in Game 3, according to ESPN's analytics. If they win on Saturday, the series is all but over. No team in NBA history has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit in a playoff series. Lee and the rest of the New York fanbase will pray to the new pope and whoever else they have to in order to give their team every possible advantage, including heavenly favor.