History is set to be made in Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump will be in attendance at MSG and, in the process, will become the first sitting president ever to attend an NBA Finals game.
With Trump being such a controversial figure, not everyone is too happy about his attending the game, but former Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire told TMZ that he will get a great reception from the home fans.
“He’s going to get a standing ovation,” Stoudemire said. “That’s the United States president; he deserves all the respect that we can give him. It’s a tough job to take on to be a President of the United States, and so, he deserves all the respect. So, I think the Knicks fans will show respect on the night to the president if he does come to the game.”
Well, time will tell.
Trump is a longtime Knicks fan and has attended games at MSG in the past. The 79-year-old has also long been friends with team owner James Dolan, who extended the invitation here.
Trump was initially planning on attending Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The series ended in a sweep, though, which meant there would be no Game 5.
The Knicks’ dominance against the Cavaliers only emboldened their fans’ belief that this team would end the 53-year title drought. They were entering the Finals on an 11-game winning run, but were still seen as the underdogs against the Spurs.
The Knicks have proven the doubters wrong in some style, winning Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio. Their fans were over the moon after the 105-104 Game 2 win, but some have seen their spirits dampen a bit with this Trump announcement.
While Stoudemire, who played for the franchise from 2010 to 2015, is expecting a standing ovation, Knicks fans made it clear on X that they don’t want Trump at Game 3. Well, their complaints will fall on deaf ears.
Trump’s presence has led MSG and the U.S. Secret Service to put in place extraordinary security measures for Game 3. There is a strict no-bag policy, and fans are to limit personal items. They have also been advised to arrive at least two hours before the game tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET to allow additional time for screening (which will be TSA-style) and entry.
Watch parties have also been banned outside MSG, adding to the fans’ frustration. To go with all of this, ticket prices were reaching astonishing levels, too. Knicks forward Josh Hart wished the tickets were cheaper, and the get-in price did drop to $5,500 on TickPick.
That is still very expensive, but we are talking about New York and the Knicks here. One can only wonder how much more expensive the tickets will be for Game 4 if the Knicks do win Game 3.
You wouldn’t bet against them going up 3-0 at this point. The Knicks have extended their playoff win streak to 13 games now and look unstoppable.
