The Knicks are just three wins away from the NBA championship, and anyone who’s anyone in New York will be there to witness history. Whether they win the series or not, it’s a major achievement for a franchise that struggled to be competitive for so long.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been a Knicks fan his whole life, and he’ll be front and center for Madison Square Garden’s first Finals game in 27 years. After receiving a personal invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan himself, Trump has his tickets booked, and he liked what he saw in the series opener (Knicks won 105-95).
“I’ll be going to Game 3 on Monday,” said Trump, via C-SPAN. “I thought it was amazing. I think the Knicks have an amazing team, the way they played. Started off slow, and just got stronger and stronger. Wemby looks like he’s going to be a great player, but they really played well, I thought.”
It’s true that the Knicks didn’t pull away until the fourth quarter, and that could happen again here tonight if both teams struggle to shoot as they did in Game 1. Fortunately, the Knicks have some “fantastic” players in Brunson and Towns, which should help prevent another low-scoring night.
“Brunson is fantastic, Towns is fantastic. They just have a great team,” Trump added.
One of the biggest conversations about the game right now isn’t even the on-court product; it’s the prices. Right now, starting ticket prices for Game 3 are nearly $10K, with some priced over $1 million. Some fans are calling it a travesty, but Trump believes it’s just the nature of life.
“They can watch it on television,” Trump said. “It’s sort of semi-free to watch it on television. That’s the way life goes.”
Regardless of a win or loss tonight (Game 2), we can expect a rocking atmosphere at MSG on Monday. For a team that’s been through so much, the fanbase has been itching for this moment, and they are going to make the most of it. The only thing more intense than Game 3 might be Game 4 if the Knicks somehow pull off a sweep and are able to win the title on their home floor.
Ultimately, only time will tell the outcome of the series, but nobody can deny that Trump was there to show his support. As a native New Yorker and longtime Knicks fan, he’s as loyal as they come to the Orange and Blue, and his appearance at MSG will surely attract a lot of attention.
For the Knicks, it’s a sign of just how far they’ve come. Just a few years ago, nobody was going out of their way to catch one of their games. Now, they are one of the best-built teams in the league with enough star power, depth, and veteran experience to beat any opponent. Whether you love or hate the Knicks, it’s clear that they have built something special here, and even the President is taking notice. If they close the deal and win this series, one can only imagine the kind of celebrations we will witness.
