Donald Trump loudly booed at Madison Square Garden after his NBA Finals appearance cancels iconic Knicks watch party

President Donald Trump invoked the wrath of angry basketball fans during Monday night’s NBA Game 3 final between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, with the crowd erupting into brutal boos shortly after his arrival.

Trump, 79, watched the game from a private box alongside his granddaughter Kai Trump, the eldest daughter of son Don Jr.

The President has been a long time supporter of the Knicks and was personally invited by the team’s owner James Dolan to attend the game - but doing so proved to be a logistical nightmare for many New Yorkers, with his security details shutting down ten blocks just to ensure his safety.

In addition, airport style security was implemented by the NYPD, effectively grinding the area around MSG, which is also home to Penn Station, to a halt.

Trump had a far from warm welcome at the NBA Game 3 Final (SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

The home crowd, many of whom paid thousands of dollars to attend, gave a frosty welcome to Trump, who has not personally attended a Knicks game in years. His presence also shot down hopes of a planned fan gathering, which had been set to take place outside the venue by attendees that couldn’t afford the astronomical ticket prices, which for certain seats extended far beyond $10,000 dollars. Instead, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday that a free watch party would welcome Knicks fans at Manhattan's Bryant Park.

Madison Square Garden also organized two other watch parties in Brooklyn and at Central Park's Wollman Rink, which Trump's company once operated.

Mamdani meanwhile was in attendance at Monday night’s game, however in seats that starkly contrasted to the private box Trump had secured. In fact, Mamdani didn’t have a seat at all, having purchased standing-room only tickets for $1000 to support the home team.

While Trump’s presence drew considerable ire thanks to the logistical hurdles he posed, many sports fans were also skeptical about his attendance at the game and support of the Knicks, given his track record with ‘cursing’ sports teams every time he publicly showed them support.

The President's track record for seemingly 'cursing' sports teams with his support led many fans to be cautious (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Between him picking the Kansas City Chiefs right before they got blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, and even the New England Patriots getting demolished after Robert Kraft hung out with him, the internet is fully convinced the jinx is real. So far the curse only appears to have affected the NFL, but cautious fans have already expressed their fears that it may extend across the sporting sphere to NBA games too.

Ultimately, New Yorkers are left dealing with a tale of two starkly different experiences inside the World’s Most Famous Arena. On one side, a billionaire owner and a billionaire President watching from the absolute comfort of a luxury suite. On the other, the city’s working-class mayor squeezing into the standing-room crowd alongside fans who braved a logistical nightmare and thousands of dollars in ticket fees just to scream for their team.

But once the ball is tipped, the political noise and the traffic grids will fade into the background. The Knicks are staring down their best chance at a championship since 1973, holding a commanding 2-0 lead over the powerhouse Spurs. The stage is set for a historic night in Manhattan. The only question left is whether the roaring energy of the Garden crowd will be enough to propel the Knicks to a 3-0 series stranglehold—or if Donald Trump’s presence will claim its next sports victim.