Knicks lose for first time since April in NBA | Sports News

When Donald Trump arrived at Madison Square Garden to watch the New York Knicks, town was reworked into one thing nearer to a national security operation than a basketball recreation.

The streets surrounding the world — West thirtieth and West thirty fifth — have been shut down to each pedestrians and automobiles from 4 p.m. onward. Sanitation vehicles have been deployed to dam Seventh Avenue. Secret Service brokers searched each bag at each entrance, whereas TSA officers have been introduced in to help — an extraordinary measure for a sporting occasion. Journalists discovered themselves ready in traces that stretched all the best way to Eighth Avenue, more than 4 hours earlier than tip-off.

Trump, a Queens native who had not set foot in New York City since securing reelection, had initially deliberate to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals towards Cleveland. However, the Knicks swept the Cavaliers in 4 video games, making that go to pointless.

He then shifted his focus to the Finals, telling reporters Friday that Knicks proprietor Jim Dolan had personally prolonged an invitation.

By the time the ultimate buzzer sounded, Trump’s debut at a Knicks Finals recreation coincided with New York’s first defeat of the sequence — a 115-111 loss that narrowed the Spurs’ deficit to 2-1.

The outside watch occasion that had change into a defining characteristic of the Knicks’ playoff run — with followers scaling lampposts and food carts exterior the Garden and going viral after every victory — was known as off for Game 3. The NYPD acknowledged the choice was coordinated with the Secret Service, although MSG maintained it had no connection to the president.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, seated in a separate part after buying a standing-room ticket for roughly $1,000, and Trump embodied a political divide as sharp as any two people occupying the identical venue may show.

Spike Lee confirmed up sporting a jersey emblazoned with “Pope Leo” on the back, autographed by the Pope himself. Patrick Ewing was current. Charles Oakley was absent, nonetheless barred by proprietor James Dolan, as an alternative internet hosting a watch occasion in Atlanta.

The Knicks hadn’t misplaced since April 23 and entered with 13 consecutive playoff victories, together with two street wins in San Antonio, requiring solely two extra victories to interrupt a championship dry spell relationship back to 1973.

For a significant slice of the night, although, the anticipated celebration did not emerge. San Antonio quieted the viewers early by way of Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, establishing a double-digit benefit in the opening quarter earlier than the Knicks rallied with a highly effective close to the first half.

Madison Square Garden exploded as New York completed the second quarter on a 10-1 surge to hold a seven-point benefit into halftime.

The second half advanced into a seesaw contest. Jalen Brunson struggled with foul bother and turnovers, whereas OG Anunoby saved New York aggressive with clutch scoring and protection. Every essential bucket seemed to be matched by the Spurs, who persistently discovered solutions from Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Wembanyama.

With much less than two minutes left on the clock, Castle made what may very well be thought-about probably the most essential basket of the night, sinking a three-pointer simply because the shot clock ran out to increase San Antonio’s benefit to seven factors. The Knicks tried one final rally, however Fox responded with a important mid-range jumper in the ultimate moments.