Trump says he plans to attend Knicks NBA Finals game
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The New York Knicks are heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time in more than a quarter-century, putting the franchise within striking distance of its first championship since 1973 after a dominant sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals. FOX 5 NY's Arthu Chi'en breaks it down.
NEW YORK - President Donald Trump said he expects to attend one of the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals games after the team advanced to the championship round for the first time in 27 years.
Donald Trump, wearing red tie, attends a basketball game between the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks on March 26, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
What we know:
Speaking Tuesday, Trump said he had originally considered attending a potential Eastern Conference finals game Wednesday before New York quickly closed out the series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games.
"I was invited," Trump said. "I was going to go on Wednesday, but they closed it out very quickly."
Trump praised the Knicks’ roster and said he plans to attend a Finals matchup at Madison Square Garden.
"They have some great players. I think I’ll be going to one of the games. I was invited by numerous people," Trump said. "The Knicks have really ... they really suffered for years."
When was the last time the Knicks made the finals?
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: The New York Knicks celebrate after winning the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Championship on May 25, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or usin
The Knicks secured their spot in the NBA Finals Monday night with a dominant 130-93 victory over Cleveland, completing a sweep of the Eastern Conference finals and sending the franchise to its first Finals appearance since 1999.
New York is now four wins away from ending a 53-year championship drought. The franchise last won an NBA title in 1973.
The Finals begin June 3, with the Knicks awaiting the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
The team’s postseason run has sparked massive excitement across New York City, with ticket prices at Madison Square Garden soaring. According to secondary-market ticket sites, the cheapest upper-level seats for Game 3 of the Finals were listed around $3,700 Tuesday morning.
Trump and the Knicks
INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES: New York Knicks fan Donald Trump (L) sits in the front row with an unidentified friend 01 June 1999 during the first half of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals game between the Knicks and the Indiana Pacers at Market Squar
Trump has long maintained ties to New York sports and has attended several major sporting events during his political career, including UFC fights, college football games and professional boxing matches.
NYC security
City officials are also ramping up security preparations as New York braces for a potentially chaotic convergence of major sporting events.
The NYPD said it is adjusting staffing levels ahead of a possible June 16 overlap between a Knicks NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden and a FIFA World Cup match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, a scenario officials warn could overwhelm transit systems and crowd Penn Station with tens of thousands of fans.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: Walt Frazier & Patrick Ewing hand Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks the Larry Bird Trophy after being named the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player after Game Four of the 2026 NBA Eastern Confer
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department is preparing for heightened security demands tied not only to the Knicks’ playoff run and World Cup festivities, but also other large-scale summer events across the city, including Fourth of July celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary.
Officials said most uniformed officers will be assigned 12-hour shifts during particularly busy periods as authorities work to manage crowds, traffic and potential security threats.
The Source: This report is based on information from President Trump.