The eyes of Madison Square Garden will be fastened on the two newcomers starting Saturday night, just past 6 o’clock. The passions of basketball New York will all be directed at them, the two imports who were supposed to narrow the gap between the Knicks and the teams at the top of the NBA’s firmament.

There were some wonderfully high highs thanks to them, thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. Both had their share of growing pains, too; neither has had a season without incident. Together they will have an opportunity, beginning with Game 1 against Detroit, to have the final word on the most-discussed Knicks season in a quarter century.

Past is prologue now.

The last six months have been the warmup, the practice tee, batting practice. However they’ll be remembered as Knicks, for as long as they are here? That narrative begins this weekend, begins with this series against the young, feisty, chatty Pistons. Conversations develop around games in December and February and March; reputations are solidified in April and May.