{"id":1979610,"date":"2026-06-08T10:46:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T07:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1979610"},"modified":"2026-06-08T10:46:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T07:46:10","slug":"the-nba-finals-are-back-at-madison-square-garden-and-donald-trump-is-crashing-the-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1979610","title":{"rendered":"The NBA Finals are back at Madison Square Garden and Donald Trump is crashing the party"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/91\/94\/1200x675_cmsv2_b50ab8ad-cb50-5635-9ca8-ee72af69bcd3-9789194.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2900196-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2900196\" data-cid=\"9789477\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2900196-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/94\/77\/189x106_cmsv2_f0935062-b3ed-5372-8a6c-d317d98cc38b-9789477.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The government plans to change the island, a former military area for decades, into an attraction to boost tourism. 14 April, 2015. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    What is &#8216;Kushner Island&#8217; and why are Albanians protesting about it?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900058-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2900058\" data-cid=\"9788756\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2900058-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/87\/56\/189x106_cmsv2_40feed06-5cc9-5aae-88be-df1c7d8cf187-9788756.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Saatchi Gallery looks to the skies in ambitious new exhibition on the Sun and Moon\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Art<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Saatchi Gallery&#8217;s ambitious new summer show turns its gaze to the sky\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900213-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2900213\" data-cid=\"9789592\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2900213-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/95\/92\/189x106_cmsv2_954eaaf0-7619-5e05-bd88-b357203e6e64-9789592.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"a soldier reacts as an MRLS BM-21 &quot;Grad&quot; fires at the Russian positions near Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, June 4, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Soldiers, not talks will decide Russia&#8217;s war in Ukraine, Lavrov says\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900157-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2900157\" data-cid=\"9789304\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2900157-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/93\/04\/189x106_cmsv2_ea872520-abd1-53e5-8c2c-0cb1ed6dc554-9789304.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ireland is under fire over its alumina exports to Russia.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Why Ireland is under fire over its alumina exports to Russia\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900196-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2900196\" data-cid=\"9789477\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2900196-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/94\/77\/189x106_cmsv2_f0935062-b3ed-5372-8a6c-d317d98cc38b-9789477.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The government plans to change the island, a former military area for decades, into an attraction to boost tourism. 14 April, 2015. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    What is &#8216;Kushner Island&#8217; and why are Albanians protesting about it?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900058-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2900058\" data-cid=\"9788756\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2900058-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/87\/56\/189x106_cmsv2_40feed06-5cc9-5aae-88be-df1c7d8cf187-9788756.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Saatchi Gallery looks to the skies in ambitious new exhibition on the Sun and Moon\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Art<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Saatchi Gallery&#8217;s ambitious new summer show turns its gaze to the sky\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900213-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2900213\" data-cid=\"9789592\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2900213-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/95\/92\/189x106_cmsv2_954eaaf0-7619-5e05-bd88-b357203e6e64-9789592.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"a soldier reacts as an MRLS BM-21 &quot;Grad&quot; fires at the Russian positions near Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, June 4, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Soldiers, not talks will decide Russia&#8217;s war in Ukraine, Lavrov says\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2900157-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2900157\" data-cid=\"9789304\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2900157-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/93\/04\/189x106_cmsv2_ea872520-abd1-53e5-8c2c-0cb1ed6dc554-9789304.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ireland is under fire over its alumina exports to Russia.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Why Ireland is under fire over its alumina exports to Russia\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Culture<\/p>\n<p>                          Culture news<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            The NBA Finals are back at Madison Square Garden and Donald Trump is crashing the party<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/91\/94\/1536x864_cmsv2_b50ab8ad-cb50-5635-9ca8-ee72af69bcd3-9789194.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Trump scheduled to attend NBA game as fans worried he may jinx the game\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Trump scheduled to attend NBA game as fans worried he may jinx the game<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspCraig Saueurs\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1780915570\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-06-08 12:46:10 +02:00\">08\/06\/2026 &#8211; 12:46 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\" class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\">\n<div 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alt=\"reddit\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-linkedin.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"linkedin\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Linkedin<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-linkedin.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"linkedin\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-messenger.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"messenger\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Messenger<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-messenger.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"messenger\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"telegram\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Telegram<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"telegram\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"vk\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>VK<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"vk\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Donald Trump won&#8217;t be the only famous figure in attendance when the NBA Finals return to New York for the first time since 1999.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--culture js-article-content\">\n<p>Almost three decades after the NBA Finals last visited Madison Square Garden, the big show is back in New York on Monday night. Unfortunately for Knicks fans hoping to focus on basketball, a presidential-sized sideshow is crashing the party.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>When the Knicks host Game 3 \u2013 their first Finals home game since 1999, and with a 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs \u2013 Donald Trump says he will be in attendance.<\/p>\n<p>Some fans really wish he wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTHATS NOT THE COLOR ORANGE WE WANT TO SEE AT THE GARDEN!\u201d <strong>wrote one user<\/strong> on the Knicks\u2019 Instagram account, saying the quiet part in all caps.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe should just come to game 8,\u201d wrote another in reference to the seven-game series.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The TSA experience arrives at the Garden<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Politics aside, hosting a sitting president comes with a fair amount of baggage \u2013 even if fans aren\u2019t allowed to bring any themselves.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, the Knicks warned fans to expect a strict no-bag policy and \u201cTSA-style screening procedures\u201d ahead of tip-off, while urging spectators to arrive at least two hours early to allow time for additional security checks.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Donald Trump claims he\u2019s bigger than Elvis after even more artists pull out of Freedom 250 concerts<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Donald Trump\u2019s Freedom 250 \/ birthday cage fight event snubbed by celebrities <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cAs we move closer to Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, Madison Square Garden and the United States Secret Service want to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all ticket holders by sharing important security procedures that will be in place,\u201d the team said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>If Trump does attend, he will become the first sitting US president to appear at an NBA Finals game \u2013 or any NBA game since 2015, when Barack Obama sat courtside when the Chicago Bulls played the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by <strong>LeBron James<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I\u2019m also a Jim Dolan fan,\u201d Trump told reporters last week, referring to the owner of the Knicks. \u201cHe\u2019s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he\u2019s a competitive guy, and he\u2019s got a team that\u2019s amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Authorities also pulled the plug on a planned watch party outside Madison Square Garden. Considering a similar party during Game 2 resulted in more than a dozen arrests, that news might come as less of a surprise than Trump\u2019s last-minute attendance.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Who else will be there?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/91\/94\/808x539_cmsv2_04caca61-2b7c-501e-8559-367ae2ce0fd8-9789194.jpg\" alt=\"Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet and Kylie Jenner watch the second half of Game 4  in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series - 25 May 2026\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet and Kylie Jenner watch the second half of Game 4  in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series &#8211; 25 May 2026<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As ever at Madison Square Garden, Trump won\u2019t be the only famous fan in the building. Or even the only politician.<\/p>\n<p>New York Mayor <strong>Zohran Mamdani<\/strong>is also expected to attend &#8211; as is a cavalcade of celebrity fans who have been spotted courtside throughout the playoffs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ben Stiller<\/strong>, Billy Baldwin, Fat Joe, Tracy Morgan and power couple <strong>Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet<\/strong>and Kylie Jenner have all been regulars during the Knicks\u2019 postseason run.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Trump \u2018oil painting\u2019 football image goes viral and sparks Pride Month jokes <\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">When the Saints go marching in: NFL to stage first ever American Football game in France<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>But no celebrity is more synonymous with Knicks fandom than Spike Lee.<\/p>\n<p>The filmmaker has been attending Knicks games since 1985, the same year he began filming his first feature, <em>She\u2019s Gotta Have It<\/em>. He\u2019s lived through the highs of the Patrick Ewing years in the 1990s and the lows of the 2018 season, when the Knicks finished with the NBA\u2019s worst record.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, Lee was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a \u2018<strong>superfan<\/strong>\u2019 alongside fellow Knicks devotee Billy Crystal and longtime Lakers supporter Jack Nicholson.<\/p>\n<p>On a night when a president is making a rare appearance at the NBA Finals, Lee\u2019s presence might be the least surprising thing in the building.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto 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Freedom 250 \/ birthday cage fight event snubbed by celebrities<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2899445-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2899445\" data-cid=\"9786209\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2899445-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/62\/09\/480x270_cmsv2_36319a05-dc62-524f-8023-2882272fec4a-9786209.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Trump \u2018oil painting\u2019 football image goes viral and sparks Pride Month jokes\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Art<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Trump \u2018oil painting\u2019 portrait goes viral and sparks Pride Month jokes<br \/>\n  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data-key=\"articleBody\">Almost three decades after the NBA Finals last visited Madison Square Garden, the big show is back in New York on Monday night. Unfortunately for Knicks fans hoping to focus on basketball, a presidential-sized sideshow is crashing the party.When the Knicks host Game 3 \u2013 their first Finals home game since 1999, and with a 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs \u2013 Donald Trump says he will be in attendance.Some fans really wish he wouldn\u2019t.\u201cTHATS NOT THE COLOR ORANGE WE WANT TO SEE AT THE GARDEN!\u201d wrote one user on the Knicks\u2019 Instagram account, saying the quiet part in all caps.\u201cHe should just come to game 8,\u201d wrote another in reference to the seven-game series.The TSA experience arrives at the GardenPolitics aside, hosting a sitting president comes with a fair amount of baggage \u2013 even if fans aren\u2019t allowed to bring any themselves.On Saturday, the Knicks warned fans to expect a strict no-bag policy and \u201cTSA-style screening procedures\u201d ahead of tip-off, while urging spectators to arrive at least two hours early to allow time for additional security checks.\u201cAs we move closer to Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, Madison Square Garden and the United States Secret Service want to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all ticket holders by sharing important security procedures that will be in place,\u201d the team said in a statement.If Trump does attend, he will become the first sitting US president to appear at an NBA Finals game \u2013 or any NBA game since 2015, when Barack Obama sat courtside when the Chicago Bulls played the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James.\u201cI\u2019ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I\u2019m also a Jim Dolan fan,\u201d Trump told reporters last week, referring to the owner of the Knicks. \u201cHe\u2019s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he\u2019s a competitive guy, and he\u2019s got a team that\u2019s amazing.\u201dAuthorities also pulled the plug on a planned watch party outside Madison Square Garden. Considering a similar party during Game 2 resulted in more than a dozen arrests, that news might come as less of a surprise than Trump\u2019s last-minute attendance.Who else will be there?As ever at Madison Square Garden, Trump won\u2019t be the only famous fan in the building. Or even the only politician.New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also expected to attend &#8211; as is a cavalcade of celebrity fans who have been spotted courtside throughout the playoffs.Ben Stiller, Billy Baldwin, Fat Joe, Tracy Morgan and power couple Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet and Kylie Jenner have all been regulars during the Knicks\u2019 postseason run.But no celebrity is more synonymous with Knicks fandom than Spike Lee.The filmmaker has been attending Knicks games since 1985, the same year he began filming his first feature, She\u2019s Gotta Have It. He\u2019s lived through the highs of the Patrick Ewing years in the 1990s and the lows of the 2018 season, when the Knicks finished with the NBA\u2019s worst record.In 2024, Lee was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a \u2018superfan\u2019 alongside fellow Knicks devotee Billy Crystal and longtime Lakers supporter Jack Nicholson.On a night when a president is making a rare appearance at the NBA Finals, Lee\u2019s presence might be the least surprising thing in the building.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/2026\/06\/08\/the-nba-finals-are-back-at-madison-square-garden-and-donald-trump-is-crashing-the-party&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/78\/91\/94\/1200x675_cmsv2_b50ab8ad-cb50-5635-9ca8-ee72af69bcd3-9789194.jpg&#8221;] Europe News What is &#8216;Kushner Island&#8217; and why are Albanians protesting about it? Art Saatchi Gallery&#8217;s ambitious new summer show turns its gaze to the sky Europe News Soldiers, not talks will decide Russia&#8217;s war in Ukraine, Lavrov says Europe News Why Ireland is under fire over its alumina exports to Russia [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1979610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1979610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1979610"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1979610\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1979610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1979610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1979610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}