Knicks' long-awaited NBA run electrifies New York, with Trump to attend key game

Knicks' long-awaited NBA run electrifies NYC, with Trump set to attend key game 7 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Grace Eliza Goodwin Getty Images Heightened security, a strict no-bag policy and airport-style screening will greet fans, as US President Donald Trump attends a pivotal NBA Finals game on Monday evening in New York City. The New York Knicks will clash with the San Antonio Spurs for game three of the finals - the first on their home turf of Madison Square Garden (MSG). The Knicks, appearing in their first finals since 1999, hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, fuelling championship fever across the city. The hottest ticket in town is drawing Mayor Zohran Mamdani as well as Trump. A parade of celebrities have been spotted at other recent games, including actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller, and filmmaker Spike Lee. Getty Images Knicks fans celebrate the New York basketball team's win in game two on Friday NBAE via Getty Images Knicks star Mikal Bridges drives to the basket during game two This season has represented a stunning reversal of fortunes for the Knicks after decades as one of the worst teams in the league. Now with a 2-0 lead in the finals, they need to win just two more games, out of a possible seven, to win the national championship for the first time since 1973. And the mood across New York City is electric. From the Empire State Building to One World Trade Center, skyscrapers have been lighting up the city's skyline orange and blue - the Knicks' team colours. A subway station near Madison Square Garden has been given a Knicks-themed makeover, and businesses across New York City's five boroughs are offering meal deals and special orange-and-blue ice-cream and bagels. On game nights, throngs of supporters donning Knicks gear have been spilling out of packed bars, projecting the game onto the sides of buildings, and holding impromptu watch parties. Thousands of fans have taken over the streets near the arena on game nights - even though their team were playing the first two games at their opponents' arena in Texas - leading to dozens of arrests as fans climbed lampposts, jumped onto food carts, and blocked traffic. Corbis via Getty Images Knicks fans gather to watch game two on a Brooklyn street Anadolu via Getty Images Skyscrapers including the Empire State Building have been lit up in Knicks colours Getty Images Knicks fans watch game two of the finals from a bar in Brooklyn Getty Images Fans have watched previous games on the streets, thanks to outdoor projectors But many of the team's devoted fans will not have been able to afford tickets to the first home game of the series on Monday, with the cheapest online resale tickets currently going for more than $10,000 (£7,468) and running up to more than $100,000. Regular Knicks games already rank among the most expensive NBA tickets in the league. "That's the way life goes," Trump told reporters on Friday when asked about the extreme ticket prices.