A watch party for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs had a bad ending, according to a report that detailed arrests and injuries.
“A Knicks watch party at Bryant Park turned violent Monday night, leading to multiple arrests and confrontations with NYPD officers,” WABC reported.
The report continued.
“After the team’s loss, fans spilled out of Bryant Park onto neighboring streets, sparking fights resulting in 21 arrests,” WABC relayed.
“Crowds flooded 42nd Street, surrounding cars and cabs and jumping on them, hitting windshields with lightsabers and other objects. Some members of the crowd threw beer bottles at officers.
“Several people were injured, including five police officers.
With Donald Trump in attendance at Game 3, there were no watch parties allowed outside Madison Square Garden. That could change for Game 4.
The outcome of the Bryant Park party is bad for everyone, especially since the Knicks being back in the NBA Finals is something worth celebrating for those in New York. Although the team lost in Game 3, it still has a 2-1 lead in the series and will have a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead in Game 4.
Prior to Monday, New York hadn’t lost a game since the first round of the postseason. It had strung together a remarkable 13 wins in a row in these playoffs, marking one of the most dominant stretches in NBA postseason history.
That streak is now over, but the magical run has the team two wins away from an NBA title. Hopefully, any watch parties that take place in Game 4 and throughout the remainder of the series will remain orderly, even though tensions are sure to run high as the franchise tries to bring home its first NBA championship since 1973.
New York will have no more than two other home games in the series from this point forward. It will play at home in Game 4 and then again in Game 6 if necessary. The other games will take place in San Antonio.
That makes Game 4 pivotal. If the Knicks win it, they will be in fantastic shape, but if they lose it, the series will essentially turn into a best-of-three affair with home-court advantage favoring the Spurs.
No matter how the series ends, it’s a safe bet that there will be lots of emotion in New York for a fan base that has shown to be incredibly invested in the 2025-26 Knicks and their playoff run.
