Knicks lock arms during national anthem in preseason opener

The Knicks say they stood for something by standing for the anthem.

Living up to their pledge to operate the pregame ceremony in unison, all the Knicks players and coaches locked arms before Tuesday's preseason opener at the Garden - a display that follows the NBA's guidelines for anthem etiquette.

The Knicks explained the decision in a statement.

"We have a deep love and respect for this country. The United States has given us so much including an unbelievable opportunity and platform to stand up for that's right. Today, our country faces serious issues including gun violence, poverty, equal justice, access to education, and civil rights," it read. "Together as a team, we will stand during the national anthem with lined arms not just as a sign of unity but also to call attention to these issues."

The statement also included a nod to the military. The language, in its entirety, ensured nobody could be offended.

"Standing together, by addressing these issues, that is how we honor the sacrifices made to defend liberties."

Not long before the preseason opener, the league sent out a memo warning players of potential punishment if they didn't stand for the anthem. Nobody has tested the mandate.

Locking arms has become a common posture for players who want to stage a mild protest, and the Knicks avoided the word "protest" in their statement altogether.

Joakim Noah has been the most vocal against guns and the current president, and he stood in the center of the team's anthem line even though he didn't play Tuesday. Three days prior, the center hinted he would follow Colin Kaepernick's lead.

"For some reason I feel like things are a little bit different," Noah said. "I don't know why, but I just feel like there's more emphasis on it. Shout out to Kaepernick for that."

On the other side of the court Tuesday, the Nets stood for the anthem in typical fashion. Jeremy Lin drove the discussion, which reached the conclusion that nothing new could be said by an anthem protest.

"We feel like at this point we probably won't do anything," Lin said before the game, according to a report. "Not that we don't believe in anything, but a lot of what we had wanted to say has been said. So I feel like we're just going to stand and at the same time figure out off the court - as individuals, as an organization, as a team - what we can do. But that's an ongoing discussion."

Tuesday's anthem was preceded by a moment of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas massacre.