New York City will not hold its official fan watch party outside Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The gathering, planned for the Plaza 33 area near the arena, was called off late in the afternoon, removing what has become a familiar sight during the Knicks' playoff run. Officials said the decision was driven above all by the planned attendance of President Trump at the game.
Inside the arena, supporters will encounter a very different set of rules. Officials warned that fans heading into the Garden will face major security changes, including what they described as TSA-style searches at the entrances. The added measures reflect the unusual circumstances of hosting a sitting president at a packed sporting event in the heart of Manhattan.
City leaders said the operation is being coordinated across several agencies. According to the mayor, the city is working closely with the Knicks, the Secret Service and the New York Police Department to prepare for the night. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that extra security would be in place, with officials stressing that the planning has been intensive in the hours leading up to the game.
The tighter posture also follows trouble that erupted earlier in the series. After Friday night's game, several dozen people were taken into custody as celebrations spilled into the streets, and one woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer. Authorities made clear they are determined to avoid a repeat of those scenes around the arena.
Even so, officials were careful not to paint the celebrations with a single brush. Tisch said the vast majority of New Yorkers had been celebrating in exactly the way the city would want, with exuberance and joy, while emphasizing that there is no tolerance for violence against police officers or violence in general. With the official watch party scrapped, the mayor said the city was looking at models that would let fans gather and celebrate without the disorder, mentioning locations such as Central Park, Radio City Music Hall and Brooklyn Bowl.
For the most devoted supporters, the changes are unlikely to dampen their plans. Die-hard fans said they would be there to back the team no matter the security arrangements, insisting that the prospect of presidential-level screening would not keep them away. The Knicks, for their part, will be chasing a commanding three to nothing lead in the series on Monday night, and the mayor said he too intends to attend, positioned in a very different part of the building than the president.