The New York Knicks lead the 2026 NBA Finals 2-0 versus San Antonio Spurs, and the third game held at Madison Square Garden had a very surprising side story.
Donald Trump, president of the US, is the first president in office to come to an NBA Finals game when he showed up at MSG to see the Knicks play against the Spurs.
He was in a suite as a guest of the Knicks owner James Dolan, and at one point, the entire arena was focused on him rather than the game.
Trump Caught Sleeping at NBA Finals Game 3 Between Knicks and Spurs
GettyPresident Trump’s Courtside Appearance at Knicks-Spurs Game 3 Raises Eyebrows
As the game went on, cameras caught Trump with his eyes closed in his suite. For a guy who told reporters he was a big fan of the Knicks and was excited to be there, dozing off mid-game was not exactly the look.
The crowd had already made their feelings clear well before that. When Trump appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem, loud boos rained down from the stands, which quickly flipped to cheers the moment the camera cut to Jalen Brunson or other Knicks on the court.
Journalist Steve Popper captured it well: “Loud USA chants, boos when they put the camera on the only person with a spotlight on them, and then loud cheers when the scoreboard switches to Knicks.”
Kristian Winfield added: “A smattering of boos and cheers as Donald Trump is shown on the Jumbotron at Madison Square Garden as the national anthem is recited ahead of tipoff of Game 3.”
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs Dominated the First Quarter at MSG
GettyViral Video Shows President Trump Seemingly Sleeping During Knicks-Spurs Game 3
While all that drama was happening off-court, Spurs came out and did the job on the court. Wembanyama was very determined early on, putting up 9 points during the first quarter; at the same time, San Antonio even led by as much as 12 points. The first quarter ended 33-22 with the Spurs in the lead.
However, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns had a completely different plan in the 2nd quarter. The Knicks staged an amazing 42-24 run to overturn the game and grab the lead at halftime, making MSG roar so loudly as it had been all evening.
The Knicks are now just two victories away from winning their first championship since 1973. The Spurs, on the other hand, desperately require a win. No team in the history of NBA Finals has ever managed to win after being down 3-0, and with the series going back to New York, the whole burden of winning is now on San Antonio.
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