The New York City streets around Madison Square Garden transformed into a sea of blue and orange Wednesday night, June 3, as the NYPD oversaw one of the largest public gatherings of the city's historic playoff run, allowing thousands of fans to gather outside the arena for a Game 1 watch party after previously raising concerns about similar events. With an estimated 18,000 fans packed inside Madison Square Garden and an estimated 10,000 more gathered in designated viewing zones on West 33rd Street, the city moved forward with a heavily managed outdoor celebration as the New York Knicks opened the NBA Finals with a 105-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Per The New York Daily News , the event marked a significant shift from the NYPD's earlier position, when officials had recommended against additional watch parties following crowd-control issues during previous playoff games. The atmosphere reflected just how much the Knicks' return to the Finals has energized New York.…