Published June 8, 2026
Fans arriving at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals will be greeted with road closures, no viewing parties, no baggage and strict security measures as U.S. President Donald Trump descends on downtown Manhattan for a home game between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.
The Knicks defied the odds and jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series ahead of Monday’s first home game of the Finals.
The New York team won two games on the road as French superstar Victor Wembaneyama did not live up to expectations in the Spurs’ Championship Series.
Nearby MetLife Stadium is scheduled to host the first of eight World Cup games in less than a week, with the NBA Finals drawing attention from the giant world tournament in New York, with even the cheapest tickets available on resale platform StubHub so far costing more than $9,000 as of Saturday night.
The Secret Service urged ticket holders to arrive early at the self-proclaimed “World’s Most Famous Arena,” located above Penn Station, the busiest transportation hub in the United States. The arena will host the NBA Finals for the first time in more than a quarter of a century with President Trump in attendance.
“Attendees should expect severe road closures in the area surrounding Madison Square Garden,” said Secret Service Communications Director Anthony Guglielmi.
“A strict no-carry policy will be in place and we want to communicate this early and widely so fans can plan accordingly. Attendees should also expect Secret Service-level security screening, similar to airport screening procedures.”
Local subway and Long Island Rail Road commuter line train service is expected to continue uninterrupted through Penn Station.
“Fans should make every effort to keep their personal belongings to a minimum,” the Knicks said in a statement.
In addition, there will be no viewing parties outside the venue, the New York City Police Department said in a statement.
“A permit for the Game 3 viewing party at Plaza 33 was denied by the city’s Department of Permits in consultation with the New York City Police Department,” the statement said. “But the White House will make sure this is not about the president. We understand that NYPD Commissioner (Jessica) Tisch is planning additional road closures around Madison Square Garden.”
But the NYPD cited the visit as a reason and left the door open to a potential Game 4 watch party on Wednesday, which would be a deciding factor if the Knicks win Monday night.
“For Game 3 only, there will be no viewing party outside of Madison Square Garden,” the statement said. “Due to the President’s visit, this was done in full coordination with the Secret Service. We anticipate that game four will see a resumption of the game party at Madison Square Garden.”
President Trump has regularly capitalized on the sports world’s attention during his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl last year and later attending other high-profile events at the end of the year, including the Ryder Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup finals.
Thousands of ticket holders missed the start of the U.S. Open men’s tennis final in September after security checks related to President Trump’s attendance caused confusion and delayed entry.
“We strongly encourage fans to arrive at least two hours before tipoff to ensure timely entry and avoid delays. While final operational details are still being worked out, this is the framework of our current anticipated plans and we can report them as such,” Guglielmi said.
The Knicks haven’t won a title since 1973, but reaching the Finals for the first time since 1999 thrilled the five boroughs.
On Friday night, about 6,500 fans flooded the area outside Madison Square Garden for a watch party, and the Knicks took a 2-0 lead in the series with a spine-chilling 105-104 victory over the Spurs.
New York City police said they arrested 17 people at the event, including one person who punched a police officer in the face. New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani urged fans to “celebrate responsibly.”
“New Yorkers are understandably excited about the Knicks’ historic run to the Finals, and we encourage fans to celebrate this moment with us. However, there is no place for violence and attacks on police officers will not be tolerated,” Mamdani said in a statement Saturday.
Mamdani, a lifelong Knicks fan who has appeared at local sporting events numerous times since winning last year’s mayoral election, told New York radio station 1010 WINS he plans to attend Monday’s game.
