It’s finally coming home. The Knicks are two games away from a first championship in 53 years. Last season, controversial New York Knicks fan and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith watched as the Knicks suffered a Conference Finals defeat to the Indiana Pacers in six games, and while the conversation should be on how close they are, it has shifted to security and logistical challenges to accommodate the historic visit of President Donald Trump.

Smith on ESPN’s First Take on Monday took a firm stance on the reason the conversation isn’t about the Knicks being two games away from lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy.

“If they lose tonight, I’m looking right at him,” Smith said. “I’m saying it. This is just me. I’m blaming him. I’m blaming the president of the United States of America if the New York Knicks lose this tonight. It is selfish. There is no reason for any president, any president, because of the congestion and the security measures that have to be invoked in order to ensure his safety.”

“There is no president that should be showing up to a game like tonight in New York City,” he added. “Nobody. If it were Obama, I’d say the same damn thing. This is not the place for the president to be coming. He knows it. He just doesn’t care.”

SAS stressed that his objection to Trump’s presence was not political. Instead, he argued that his objection was not political, as any sitting president’s presence would create a major distraction and security headache for fans trying to enjoy the Knicks’ first NBA Finals home game in 27 years. He centered his concerns on the massive Secret Service operations, traffic disruptions, increased security lines, and the possibility that the focus shifts from the Knicks to the president. His comments gained attention after it became clear that Trump’s visit was one of the major reasons the outdoor watch party outside Madison Square Garden had to be canceled.

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani took a notably different approach. Rather than criticize Trump’s attendance, Mamdani focused on ensuring Knicks fans still had places to gather. His message has essentially never been “a question of if there will be watch parties, but where there will be watch parties.” The mayor confirmed that the city worked with the Knicks, NYPD and Secret Service to create alternative viewing locations after the MSG watch party was canceled. The mayor is also expected to attend Game 3 himself, though separately from Trump.

Interestingly, Knicks players have mostly avoided discussing the political side of the story. Center Karl-Anthony Towns, when asked about Donald Trump’s attendance, redirected the conversation back to basketball and the “hope” that has been brought back to the city, promising to “fight to bring that word (success) to fruition.”

The organization has largely treated Trump’s appearance as a security and logistics matter rather than a basketball issue. Trump is attending as a guest of Knicks owner James Dolan and will reportedly be in the owner’s suite and not courtside. The President was open about attending the game, confirming multiple times that he was “invited” by Dolan, but didn’t confirm if he would attend both games.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took the opposite position from Stephen A. Smith. He said he was “thrilled” that President Donald Trump wanted to attend the NBA Finals and suggested major sporting events can bring people together regardless of political differences.

Reaction among Knicks fans has been mixed. Some fans are excited that the game is attracting national attention, while others have complained that Trump’s attendance has led to the cancellation of the outdoor watch party, created travel headaches, increased wait times, and shifted the attention away from the Knicks’ historic Finals run. 

Security for Game 3 is being described as one of the largest operations Madison Square Garden has seen in years. Road closures have seen a security perimeter established roughly between 30th Street and 35th Street, as well as Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue, with large sections closed to vehicles and many pedestrians.

Entry requirements have also been affected. Fans attending the game are being told to arrive at least two hours early, expect airport-style screening, follow a strict no-bag policy and prepare for lengthy security lines. According to the Secret Service and NYPD, tactical teams are being deployed, with drones being used, alongside anti-scaling fencing, crowd-control barriers have been expanded and additional officers assigned throughout the area.  

What’s Next for the Knicks Ahead of the NBA Finals Game 3?

The anticipation has become so intense that authorities are taking extraordinary measures ahead of Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday. The NYPD, in its assessment on Sunday, pointed to unknown “malicious actors” who may use the occasion to create what it described as “an attractive opportunity for targeted violence or disruption,” according to documents obtained by ABC News.

These concerns stemmed from a series of incidents surrounding watch parties outside Madison Square Garden. During celebrations following the Knicks’ Game 1 and Game 2 victories in San Antonio, dozens of fans were arrested. The alleged offenses ranged from disorderly conduct, with fans climbing poles and spilling into surrounding streets, to interfering with emergency responders and assaulting police officers in New York City.

From a basketball perspective, the Knicks’ focus will be to go out and play the brand of basketball that has fueled their 13-game winning streak. On Monday, they will look to extend it to 14 against a motivated Spurs side, and hope to take advantage of the Garden’s atmosphere, with or without President Donald Trump in attendance.