Kill ’em with kindness, San Antonio said. The city is welcoming its home team back with support and encouragement, hoping the San Antonio Spurs bounce back in the must-win Game 5 and beyond. Of course, there’s more reason to be tense as the series shifts back after Spurs fans in New York were brutally attacked across four days, and even Victor Wembanyama became a target. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar is the latest Texas official to openly condemn NYC’s security failures affecting Spurs players and fans. While some would assume Spurs nation is waiting to exact vengeance, Salazar promised the opposite.

Following a series of highly volatile post-game incidents in Manhattan, including viral footage of Wembanyama being hit with an egg, the Texas law enforcement held a press conference to address the safety measures for Game 5 at Frost Bank Center. Before the Knicks team arrived in the city, Salazar declared his agency would go “above and beyond” to safeguard players and traveling fans ahead of Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

“We’re doing something differently here than what I’ve seen done in New York,” Sheriff Salazar stated unequivocally. “You know, for example, with regard to the Knicks, here we’re actually escorting the Knicks from where they’re staying to the facility and then back up there with their family members as well. So a lot of preparation goes into that, a lot of logistics go into that, but it’s something we feel is necessary to do to maintain not just public safety, but in the interest of these folks who are coming here just to play a game, they’re professional athletes.”

Salazar stopped short of directly attacking New York officials, but his message was unmistakable. He said San Antonio studied what happened in NY and decided to take additional precautions for both teams, adding that he wished more effort had been made to provide similar protection during the Spurs’ stay in Manhattan.

The concern did not emerge in a vacuum. Across four days in New York, Spurs players and supporters found themselves at the center of several ugly incidents. Fans gathered outside the team’s hotel before and after games, while videos circulating online showed confrontations involving Spurs supporters, including one that appeared to show an object being thrown toward Wembanyama outside the team’s hotel.

Salazar said his department’s focus is on preventing emotions from crossing the line into criminal behavior. He repeatedly emphasized that regardless of the outcome on the court, fans must remember that the Finals remain a sporting event and not a reason for violence.

He concluded by assuring the Knicks and their supporters that they would receive a very different experience in San Antonio. “We’re going to do what San Antonio does, we’re going to take care of our Spurs, we’re going to take care of any opposing teams that come, and again, we’re gonna roll out the red carpet for all Knicks fans that come out to the game.”

Salazar made a point of contrasting his department’s proactive strategy with the chaotic scenes in New York, where fans swarmed the Spurs’ team hotel, and rioters vandalized Midtown Manhattan.

Incidents with Victor Wembanyama and Spurs fans caused concern in San Antonio

Unlike the largely orderly atmosphere surrounding Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio, tensions escalated significantly once the series shifted to New York. Multiple videos circulated online showing confrontations involving Spurs supporters, while several incidents outside Madison Square Garden and around Midtown led to arrests and increased police scrutiny.

It was no better even after the Knicks won Game 4. The celebration turned to riots with mobs attacking taxis and even ripping off traffic signs.

The NYPD had previously limited watch parties near Madison Square Garden, which did little to prevent brawls when the Knicks were winning in San Antonio. The city implemented a ‘frozen zone’ around the MSG area to ensure maximum safety during President Donald Trump’s attendance at Game 3. The same restrictions were enforced during Game 4, even without the presidential guest.

Official records show that 56 arrests were made during the Finals-related disturbances in New York, with 41 individuals released on court summonses. Authorities are still investigating several incidents involving alleged assaults on Spurs supporters.

While some on the Spurs faction want to even the score, most of San Antonio is taking the high road. The BCSO is prepared and taking unprecedented measures at the county-owned Frost Bank Center to protect the NBA players and their loved ones. Salazar confirmed that the arena area will face an increase of mounted patrols, eye-in-the-sky drone units, and undercover details for fans’ safety.

While San Antonio watch parties have remained mostly orderly, local police remain highly vigilant due to a very fresh tragedy. A 17-year-old Spurs fan passed away after falling from a moving vehicle during San Antonio’s famous honking celebration for the Spurs winning against OKC.

Salazar urged fans to support the Spurs passionately while keeping perspective.

“Hope everybody is going to be mature adults and realize that, look, this is a game,” Salazar said. “At the end of the day, it’s just a game. There’s nothing worth assaulting somebody, hurting somebody, and possibly picking up a criminal charge. For the community, look, definitely be proud of your home team.”

His department’s goal is straightforward: make sure Game 5 is remembered for basketball, not the incidents that overshadowed parts of the series in New York.