The viral moments of Knicks fans celebrating outside Madison Square Garden will be put on hold for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Due to security issues, the NYPD has cancelled all watch parties outside of the stadium with President Donald Trump set to attend the matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
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Safety concerns had already arisen prior to the president’s attendance according to ESPN.
“The permit for the Plaza33 Game 3 watch party was denied by the city’s permitting office in consultation with the NYPD,” an MSG Spokesperson said per ESPN. “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.”
The NYPD also released a statement regarding the cancellation sharing that it had coordinated with the Secret Service to ensure safety for the president’s arrival.
“There will be no watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Game 3 only,” read the statement. “This was done fully in coordination with the Secret Service because of the presidential visit. We expect watch parties to at Madison Square Garden to resume for Game 4.”
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also expected to attend the game alongside President Trump.
The added security nixing the outside event adds to an already difficult fan experience within Madison Square Garden where ticket prices are continuing to soar to astronomical heights ahead of the matchup.
Game 3 is set to tip off at 8:30 pm EST on ESPN.
Patrick Dowd is a contributor for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
