premise: Sports writers debated whether it's a triumph for 1) Knicks guard Allan Houston, a previous underachiever who scored 32 points in the decisive game; 2) Coach Jeff Van Gundy, who had nearly been fired earlier in the season; or 3) New York, whose prestige was already bolstered by cleaner streets and lower crime.
hypothesis: Coach Jeff Van Gundy managed to triumph despite previously coming close to losing his job.