For the first time since 1999, the NBA Finals will be played at Madison Square Garden on Monday night as the Knicks, with a 2–0 series lead, host the Spurs in Game 3.
As expected, ticket prices to get inside Madison Square Garden skyrocketed as New York chases its first championship since 1973. The get-in price for Game 3 on secondary markets is well over $6,000, something that Knicks guard Josh Hart called out over the weekend.
“I kind of wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are,” Hart said. “I feel like a lot of people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time, and unfortunately aren’t able to get into the building with the cheapest ticket seven, eight thousand dollars, so—that’s ridiculous.”
Over the Knicks’ historic playoff run, the area around Madison Square Garden has served as home base for the diehard fans who didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg to get in the door. That won’t be an option for Game 3, however.
Due to extra security measures in the area in response to President Donald Trump’s plans to attend Game 3, the watch party outside Madison Square Garden was canceled on Sunday.
MSG said in a statement the decision to cancel the watch party “is not about the president,” but the cancelation currently is only in effect for Game 3, which he is attending, and not Game 4. The NYPD conflicted that reasoning in their statement:
"There will be no watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Game 3 only," the statement read. "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."
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The watch party outside MSG initially was planned to be canceled for Game 1 due to rowdy behavior of fans in previous events, but the city reversed the decision and granted a permit for Game 1 and Game 2, which saw over a dozen arrests on Friday night.
Whether it’s to prepare for President Trump’s appearance or to scale up security ahead of the NBA Finals, here’s what’s happening around the Madison Square Garden area ahead of Game 3:
No watch parties outside Madison Square Garden
The aforementioned watch party outside MSG will not take place on Monday night. But there will be three other team- or city-sanctioned watch parties in NYC, all of which require prior registration to attend:
- Wollman Rink in Central Park: Located about two miles away from MSG. Fans are advised to arrive at least 30 minutes before the opening tip to secure a spot. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET.
- Brooklyn Bowl: Located in Brooklyn, about five miles away from MSG. The watch party features 13 viewing screens and food and drink specials. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET.
- Bryant Park: Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Monday morning that there would be a third watch party for Game 3 held in Bryant Park. The event is free has a capacity of 5,000 attendees.
The @nyknicks are home and our city is ready to show out.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) June 8, 2026
We’re hosting a free watch party for 5,000 New Yorkers tonight in Bryant Park.
You can register at the link below starting at noon today: https://t.co/Te8eGk5TwW
A security wall around Madison Square Garden
A barrier was erected Monday around the perimeter of Madison Square Garden. Fans in attendance will be screened in order to pass through the wall to get into the arena for Game 3. Secret Service and other officers are patrolling the fence throughout the afternoon.
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