The 2026 NBA Finals shifted to New York for Game 3 with the Knicks holding a 2-0 series advantage over the Spurs. Monday marked the first time the Knicks hosted a Finals game while leading in the series since 1973, and it is just the third time in franchise history that New York played a Finals game at home while ahead in the series, according to ESPN Research.
Those previous home appearances while leading the series came in Game 4 of 1973 and Game 2 of 1970; the Knicks won the championship in both of those seasons, according to ESPN Research. The appearance represents a Finals environment at Madison Square Garden rarely seen before and not this century.
Madison Square Garden was prepared for an elevated atmosphere on and off the court as luminaries filled the stands. President Donald Trump was set to attend — which, according to ESPN, would make him the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game — a development that prompted heightened security measures.
Pregame arrivals drew attention. Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama arrived in an all-denim ensemble carrying a red Louis Vuitton duffel bag. Knicks star Jalen Brunson presented a businesslike look, wearing Louis Vuitton and a beanie before the game. Reporters noted threads lined up in the Knicks’ locker room ahead of the contest.
Game 3 at Madison Square Garden carried historic context and visual spectacle alike, with both on-court stakes and pregame pageantry contributing to a memorable evening in New York.
