'We're going to grind every single team out'
Share this @internewscast.com

The Knicks will ride their luck all the way to the NBA Finals, according to their luckiest fan.

Manhattan basketball coach Castelli “Stelli” Laflotte, 34, knows a thing or two about having a hot hand.

He drained an epic half-court shot at a Knicks game in January, winning $1,000 cash and a new Kia SUV.

“Luck happens when dedication meets opportunity. If you’re putting in the effort and preparing, you’ll be ready when the chance arises,” Laflotte shared with The Post.

“Knicks are going to win on Wednesday night and we’re going to the conference finals.”

Following their victory over the Detroit Pistons in six games during the first playoff round, the Knicks are now facing off against the reigning champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Coming from 20-point deficits to secure victories in the first two away games, the Knicks are ahead in the series with a 3-1 lead and are one victory away from reaching their first conference championship since 2000.

They’ll face off again in Boston Wednesday night before returning to the Garden on Friday, should the series go to a game 6.

The semifinals have made for white-knuckle watching from the edge of Laflotte’s couch in Yonkers, but not quite as nerve-wracking as shooting in front of a packed Madison Square Garden, when his hands went numb from panic.

“That half-court shot was probably the most nerve-wracking thing ever,” Laflotte said.

He added: “Beforehand you’re just standing in the tunnel panicking, like, ‘please God, don’t embarrass yourself.’

“When I was taking the first four shots that lead into it, I literally couldn’t feel my hands. I was just shooting off muscle memory.”

While the Knicks have been on a heater since Coach Stelli’s heroics, the team has actually lost both games Laflotte has seen in person this year — including the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves when he made the half-court shot.

For the Knicks’ sake, the lifelong fan will keep watching from home with his son Cameron, 3.

“They lost that match when I made the shot. That was Julius Randle’s return to Madison Square Garden. Then they won like every game after that,” he said.

“I just went to game three (of the semifinals) where we lost by like 40. I went to that game and I was like maybe I should just stay home and watch them because they do good when I’m at home watching.”

Coach Stelli was full of praise for the Knicks sticking to the fundamentals and putting their bodies on the line.

“It’s been great watching them grind and work and succeed against teams people claim are better,” Laflotte said.

“We’re going to grind every single team out. The Knicks play their starters a lot and they grind you away.”

Laflotte won a 2025 Kia Telluride in the half-court competition. He liked it so much that his wife Ashley is now driving one, too.

“We had a 2013 Honda Accord and my Jeep Grand Cherokee from 2017. But the Jeep had like 150,000 miles on it because I drive for work every day and it was starting to have a lot of problems.

“We won the one car and then I asked ‘hey, if we trade in both of these cars, any chance we can get a second one?’”

When he isn’t putting up logo 3s in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans for cash and prizes at MSG, Laflotte coaches kids at Marlene Meyerson JCC on the Upper East Side and Riverside Park, and is the athletics director at the Rudolf Steiner School.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
US Marshals nab fugitive hiding under child's bed: officials

US Marshals Capture Fugitive Concealed Beneath Child’s Bed: A Shocking Discovery Unveiled

The United States Marshals Service successfully apprehended a fugitive in Washington state…
Today in History: January 20, FBI orchestrates massive Mafia takedown

Historic FBI Mafia Takedown: Remembering the Landmark Operation on January 20

Today marks Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the 20th day of the year,…
Minnesota's Muslim AG to Christians: Church Ambushes Are ‘Just Something You’ve Gotta Live With’

Minnesota’s Muslim Attorney General Advises Christians on Coping with Church Attacks

Somewhere in the vast universe, one might imagine Saul Alinsky chuckling with…
Man stabbed, officer assaulted as fight breaks out after MLK Day parade in Los Angeles

Chaos Erupts After LA MLK Day Parade: Stabbing and Officer Assault Rock the Community

During a Los Angeles parade celebrating Martin Luther King Jr., tensions escalated…
ICE says immigrant who died in Texas detention center committed suicide

Tragic Incident: ICE Reports Apparent Suicide of Detainee in Texas Facility

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an immigrant who was discovered deceased…
Judge and wife shot in broad daylight in Indiana, sparking massive multi-agency investigation

Indiana Judge and Wife Injured in Daylight Shooting, Prompting Extensive Multi-Agency Probe

A shooting incident on Sunday afternoon in Lafayette, Indiana, left a judge…
Two teen boys shot in car in Suffolk County: police

Tragic Shooting in Suffolk County: Two Teenagers Injured in Car Attack

Two teenage boys found themselves victims of gun violence while parked in…
ISIS fighters break free from Syrian jail amid chaotic government handover

ISIS Militants Escape Syrian Prison During Turbulent Government Transition

Amidst a turbulent transition of authority between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces…
Portland police release photos of suspect accused of shooting 2 officers

Breaking: Portland Police Unveil Key Images in Hunt for Suspect Behind Officer Shootings

In a tense development out of Portland, Oregon, local authorities have released…
Denmark ramps up defenses in Greenland as Trump zeros in on control of territory

Denmark Strengthens Greenland Defense Amid Renewed U.S. Interest Under Trump

On Monday, Denmark took steps to bolster its military presence in Greenland…
Video shows anti-ICE agitator berating Christians in Minnesota church service

Video Captures Protester Confronting Congregation Over ICE Policies During Minnesota Church Service

At the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, a protester vehemently criticized…
Yankees add veteran outfield depth as Cody Bellinger’s free agency continues

Yankees Bolster Outfield with Veteran Talent Amid Cody Bellinger’s Ongoing Free Agency

On Monday, the New York Yankees bolstered their roster by signing an…