The Knicks are two wins away from a championship, MSG is preparing for its biggest game in three decades and New York City just canceled the party.
As the Knicks prepare to host the San Antonio Spurs for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night with a 2-0 series lead, thousands of ticketless fans hoping to pack the Plaza33 outdoor watch party just learned there will be no party at all.
The NYPD claims the party is off due to security for President Donald Trump’s visit and its massive Secret Service footprint.
NYPD LIFTS BAN ON KNICKS WATCH PARTIES OUTSIDE MSG FOR GAME 1 OF NBA FINALS AFTER FANS WERE TOO ROWDY
In a battle of press releases obtained by Fox News Digital, the NYPD released this statement:
“There will be no watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Game 3 only. This was done fully in coordination with the Secret Service because of the presidential visit. We expect watch parties at Madison Square Garden to resume for Game 4.”
MSG pushed back, saying the permit was denied by local city officials, not because Trump was attending.
TRUMP EXPECTED TO ATTEND KNICKS-SPURS NBA FINALS GAME 3 AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
“The permit for the Plaza33 Game 3 watch party was denied by the City’s permitting office in consultation with the NYPD,” Madison Square Garden’s statement read. “However, the White House will confirm that this is not about the President. We understand NYPD Commissioner Tisch is planning additional street closures around Madison Square Garden.”
City Hall and the NYPD point to Trump’s appearance as the reason for the shutdown rather than take ownership of the additional street closures themselves.
Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also slated to attend, though he reportedly won’t be sitting anywhere near Trump.
Friday’s watch party got a little rowdy. When you combine a 27-year championship drought with too many overpriced IPAs, Bing Bong energy is bound to spill onto 7th Avenue.
Still, scrapping the outdoor gathering feels like an overreach by a city government that loves to micromanage. Instead of letting the streets bleed orange and blue outside the arena, fans are being told to scatter to local bars or Central Park.
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The bureaucrats killed the party, but if the Knicks go up 3-0, no amount of Manhattan barricades can contain the celebration.
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