By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK, June 6 (Reuters) - Road closures, bag bans and a gauntlet of security measures will greet fans at Madison Square Garden on Monday, as U.S. President Donald Trump descends on the heart of Manhattan to watch the New York Knicks play the San Antonio Spurs at home in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The Knicks have defied the odds to build a stunning 2-0 head start in the best-of-seven series, winning two games on the road as the French superstar Victor Wembanyama has failed to meet expectations
in the championship series for the Spurs.
With nearby MetLife Stadium set to host its first of eight World Cup matches in a week, the NBA Finals have stolen the spotlight away from the massive global tournament in New York - for now - with even the cheapest tickets available on resale platform StubHub topping $9,000 as of Saturday night.
Secret Service urged ticketholders to arrive early to the self-styled "World's Most Famous Arena", which sits above the busiest transit hub in the United States, Penn Station, and will see the NBA Finals for the first time in more than a quarter-century with Trump in attendance.
"Attendees should anticipate hard street closures in the immediate area surrounding Madison Square Garden," Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi told Reuters in a statement.
"A strict no-bag policy will be enforced, and we want to communicate that early and broadly so fans can plan accordingly. Attendees should also expect Secret Service-level security screening, similar to airport screening procedures."
Train service for the local subway and Long Island Rail Road commuter line is expected to continue uninterrupted through Penn Station.
Trump has routinely harnessed sport's spotlight in his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl last year before attending other marquee events, including the Ryder Cup and the Club World Cup final.
Thousands of ticketholders missed the start of the U.S. Open men's final in September, when security checks related to Trump's attendance caused confusion and slowed entry to the event.
"To ensure timely entry and avoid delays, we strongly encourage fans to arrive at least two hours before tip-off. While final operational details are still being coordinated, this is the planning framework we currently expect and can be reported as such," said Guglielmi.
The Knicks have not won the title since 1973 and their first trip to the Finals since 1999 has electrified the five boroughs.
Some 6,500 fans flooded the area outside Madison Square Garden to watch the Knicks' spine-tingling 105-104 defeat of the Spurs to take the 2-0 lead in the series on Friday night.
The watch party saw New York City police arrest 17 individuals, including one who struck a police officer in the face, according to the NYPD. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged fans to "celebrate responsibly."
"New Yorkers are rightfully excited about the Knicks' historic Finals run, and we want fans to celebrate this moment together. There is, however, no place for violence, and no tolerance for attacks on police officers," Mamdani said in a statement on Saturday.
A lifelong Knicks fan, Mamdani has made multiple appearances at local sporting events since he won the mayoral election last year and told New York radio station 1010 WINS that he planned to attend the game on Monday.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Toby Davis)
