MSG lockdown: Security perimeter announced ahead of Knicks Game 3 on Monday

NEW YORK CITY - Fans heading to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals should expect street closures, security checkpoints and airport-style screening Monday night as the NYPD and U.S. Secret Service prepare for a presidential visit.

"New Yorkers are used to presidents coming to town, and they understand that generally means lockdowns," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. "The message is simple: Celebrate the Knicks, but avoid the MSG area tonight if you do not have tickets for the game or some other valid reason to be there."

What we know:

At a Monday morning briefing, Tisch said police will establish a secure perimeter around Madison Square Garden beginning at 4 p.m. The perimeter will run from West 30th Street to West 35th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue.

Only ticket holders, transit commuters with train tickets, credentials or those patronizing a business will be permitted inside the zone, and must pass through one of five designated screening checkpoints:

• West side of 6th Avenue at West 32nd Street
• West side of 6th Avenue at West 33rd Street
• Northeast corner of West 29th Street and 7th Avenue
• Northeast corner of West 30th Street and 8th Avenue
• Southeast corner of West 34th Street and 8th Avenue

Local bars and restaurants within the perimeter will remain open but will operate under strict capacity limits, and patrons must go through screening to access them.

TSA screening

Dig deeper:

Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service New York Field Office, is advising fans to arrive at least two hours before the 8:30 p.m. tip-off.

All attendees will be subjected to TSA-style magnetometer screening before entering the Garden. There is also a strict no-bag policy in effect for the perimeter and the arena. Backpacks, purses, handbags, briefcases, and alcohol are entirely prohibited, and there will be no storage available for checked items outside the venue.

An exception will be made for commuters entering Penn Station who require bags for travel.

Transit guidelines

Local perspective:

Officials said that rail services at Penn Station will not be disrupted by the security plan.

To avoid the security perimeter entirely, commuters utilizing Amtrak, LIRR, NJ Transit, or the subway are strongly urged to use the Moynihan Train Hall entrances on the west side of 8th Avenue (at 31st and 33rd Streets).

When the final buzzer sounds, getting home or catching a rideshare will look different. Fans will exit MSG onto 7th or 8th Avenue and will be strictly directed either north toward 36th Street or south toward 29th Street. No east-west pedestrian traffic will be permitted inside the secure zone.

If you are ordering an Uber, Lyft, or taxi, you must walk outside the perimeter and schedule your pickup at West 29th Street or West 36th Street.

Game 4

What's next:

The outdoor watch parties at Madison Square Garden are scheduled to return for Game 4, featuring a structured, screened barricaded pen system modeled after Times Square on New Year's Eve.