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The Knicks are back in the New York groove.

Eighteen days after their last game at Madison Square Garden — when they played the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 21 — Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby return to Manhattan tonight for their first NBA Finals game at MSG this century.

The Knicks are up 2-0 against Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs and ticket prices for Game 3 are through the roof.

However, what you might not have heard is that last-minute prices are dropping.

When our team last reported how much Knicks MSG Finals Game 3 tickets cost on June 5, the cheapest seats available were $8,417 including fees on SeatGeek.

Now, just one long weekend later, prices start at $4,585 including fees at the time of publication.

That’s a whopping $3,832 in savings.

Should you purchase, make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 at checkout to save an additional $10 if you’d like to sweeten the deal just a little more (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).

Knicks stars can’t wait to put on a show for their faithful either.

“We got to be desperate for these fans,” Karl-Anthony Towns said after practice Sunday, according to The Post. “Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden. For this to be the first game in a long time that they have seen Finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give ’em something to cheer for, give ’em something to get loud for and also give ’em something to believe in.”

More Coverage on the Knicks during the 2026 NBA Finals

• Spurs’ surprising Victor Wembanyama strategy is backfiring
• Meet the Knicks superfans who spend thousands on season tickets, host massive fan meetups and have ‘Knicks Nooks’ full of old-school memorabilia
• The underlying fuel that’s propelling the Knicks through historic postseason run
• MSG’s electric Knicks atmosphere will be on full display as NBA Finals makes ‘really special’ return

If you’re on the fence, now is the time to act especially since the lowest price on seats for Game 4 on Wednesday is $9,280 including fees.

Prepare for roadblocks tonight as well with President Trump planning to attend.

“NYPD and Secret Service officials outlined planned closures ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden Monday as President Trump is expected to attend the Knicks’ matchup with the San Antonio Spurs,” The Post reported.

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden below.

What do tickets cost for Knicks NBA Finals games at MSG?

A complete calendar, including all announced Knicks NBA Finals home game dates and the best prices on tickets are listed here:

What do tickets cost for Spurs NBA Finals games in San Antonio?

All Spurs playoff home game dates at the Frost Bank Center and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.

What are the Knicks Finals home game giveaways at MSG?

New York Post social media guru Olivia Silio let us know that there are likely some additional perks to attending Finals games at MSG.

“The first home game of the series, you’ll go home with a souvenir t-shirt, commemorating the game,” she said, based on her experience attending the Eastern Conference Finals.

“Other games have ‘Always Knicks’ towels for fans to keep as well as interactive arena bracelets, used for light shows and hyping up the crowd. Another bonus is you may see your favorite actor, singer or athlete, rooting alongside you.”

How can I watch the Knicks and Spurs in the NBA Finals on TV?

Fans hoping to catch Mike Brown’s ballers on the tube can watch all NBA Finals games on ABC and ESPN.

Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.

If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.

What are the planned closures for Game 3 of the NBA Finals?

The Post reported this is what you need to know:

• Vehicular and pedestrian traffic will be prevented from entering from West 30th Street to West 35th Street between 6th Avenue and Eighth Avenue starting at 4 p.m., the NYPD said.
• The only people allowed inside that perimeter will be fans with tickets, commuters going to Penn Station and those who are working inside that part of Midtown Manhattan.
• Fans won’t be allowed to bring backpacks, bags, purses or other containers inside the venue and are strongly advised to show up at least two hours before tip-off. There will be no storage area for spectators who bring a bag, officials warned.
• “All attendees will pass through TSA-style magnetometer screening before entering the arena,” said Matt McCool, who is the Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s New York field office.

Huge concerts at MSG in 2026

Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NBA season?

MSG has you covered.

The legendary venue has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer long.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.

• Bon Jovi (July 7-9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26)

• Earth, Wind, and Fire with Lionel Richie (July 11)

• Phish (July 22, 24, 25, 27, 29)

• RUSH (July 28, 30, Aug. 1, 3)

• J. Cole (Aug. 2, 4)

Want to see who else is Big Apple-bound? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at Madison Square Garden to find the show for you.

Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

Are you interested in a big man that plays a lot of minutes on a lot of nights and eats rebounds for breakfast, lunch and dinner? If so, and most Sixers fans should be, then Hannes Steinbach is your guy. The 20-year-old German had a very strong freshman campaign statistically at the University of Washington and looks ready for the NBA. But will the Sixers be able to maneuver their way up in this month’s first round to land the Husky?

Profile

2025-26 Stats: 30 games, 34.6 minutes, 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.2 blocks, 57.7% FG, 34% 3P, 75.9% FT

Team: Washington Huskies

Year: Freshman

Position: PF/C

Height & Weight: 6’11” | 248 lbs

Born: May 1, 2006 (20 years old)

Hometown: Wurzburg, Germany

Strengths

Measuring at just under seven feet tall and 250 pounds, Steinbach will enter the NBA with a frame that should allow him to play a lot of minutes as a rookie. After all, he just finished a college season in which he was playing roughly 35 out of the 40 regulation minutes and did so in the Big 10. He’s not going to get pushed around in the paint like some bigs who come out of college with a lot of athletic traits but haven’t filled out physically.

Fundamentally, Steinbach is rock solid. His footwork enables him to find lots of ways to finish inside, something he does rather smooth and effortlessly around the rim. These sound fundamentals extend beyond interior scoring as Steinbach can be used effectively on the perimeter in pick-and-rolls and is comfortable passing out of said pick-and-rolls.

Both offensively and defensively he’s an aggressive rebounder and seems to always be in the right positions to possess the basketball. College stats can sometimes be misleading, but at the same time when you’re averaging almost 12 rebounds per game in your age 19 season as Steinbach did last year, you’re doing something right, wherever you’re playing.

Weaknesses

The majority of Steinbach’s concerns at the next level can be traced back to his lack of athleticism. While he has the smarts to be a good pick-and-roll player on the perimeter offensively, he is certainly not laterally quick enough to defend big men who are more capable of stretching the floor. The absence of elite athletic traits in Steinbach’s game also raises question about how good of a rebounder he will be in the NBA. Is he going to be able to average double-digit rebounds just on good positioning and instincts? There are some NBA bigs who might not be as fundamentally sound as Steinbach is but more than make up for that with their athletic ability.

Additionally, in his lone year of college basketball, Steinbach was not much of an outside shooter. His 34% from the three-point line might not look bad, but it came on less than two attempts per game and he didn’t have much of a midrange game either. Can he score 10-15 points per game as a rookie in the NBA solely on good fundamentals? Either way, if he’s going to be a regular starter, there needs to be some perimeter development as a scorer.

Positional Fit

With his current skillset, Steinbach is a traditional NBA center. If his jump shot develops well, he could be used as a bigger power forward that would develop into more of a three-level scorer. Having said that, you wouldn’t want Steinbach too far away from the basket on either end of the floor due to how well he rebounds. But his rebounding would make him a great fit with the Sixers, who finished second-to-last in postseason rebounding in 2026 and were only middle-of-the-pack in regular season rebounding. Steinbach would immediately be the second-most skilled offensive big on Philadelphia’s roster behind Joel Embiid and would play a lot of minutes with the Sixers as a rookie given Embiid’s constant lack of availability.

Draft Projection

SB Nation Mock Draft: In the most recent SB Nation mock, Steinbach goes at the tail end of the lottery to Golden State. The fit seems to track well given the Warriors might be looking for one last kick at the can with Steve Kerr on the sidelines and Steph Curry in the backcourt. An NBA-ready big to come into their lineup and rebound instantly would make sense. The problem for Philly is that Golden State has the 11^th overall pick, well ahead of the Sixers at 22. Perhaps this is where a Paul George trade could make sense for the Sixers and maybe Golden State is a partner that makes sense. If new President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey covets Steinbach, a team that’s ahead of the Sixers that would be looking to contend next season and would value George’s veteran presence and postseason production might be a logical trade partner. Either way, it seems unlikely that Steinbach is available for Philadelphia if the team stays put at 22.

If the NBA’s Western Conference represented a different class of competition than the East, nobody told the New York Knicks. Mike Brown’s team extended their playoff win streak to 13 games after stealing two tight games in San Antonio, and are now playing their first NBA Finals games in Madison Square Garden in 27 years with a 2-0 series advantage. The Spurs have looked more terrestrial than their reputation, but they’ve held leads late in both games, and perhaps the real difference between conferences is showing up in the fatigue factor in the final minutes.

The market for NBA Finals MVP on FanDuel is a valuable measure of the impact that each player has had on the series so far. It’s also a look beyond the box score to consider the narratives that are likely to close out the season.

Jalen Brunson (+115)

Brunson shook off a slow start to game 1 (including multiple injury scares) to take over in the fourth quarter and nailed tough looks down the stretch. Conventional wisdom and historical precedent have suggested that a team can’t win a championship if their best player is short. But this is nothing new to Jalen Brunson, who’s carried his teams to titles at every level of his career. 

He hasn’t been an efficient shooter to start the series (33.9% FG), but he’s found ways to force his impact; scoring 30 points in the opener and grabbing five steals to go with his 20 points and six assists in game two. The Knicks’ offense evolved when Towns became more of a facilitator, but Brunson’s penetration and pull-ups are still the team’s primary options in crunch time.

Karl-Anthony Towns (+165)

Maybe the best argument in Becky Hammon’s favor is that the Knicks are on the precipice of a championship because of the play of their big man, Karl-Anthony Towns. He’s challenged conventional wisdom about his own play during this win streak, using his size to play physical defense and wear on Wemby, while grabbing 12.5 tough rebounds.

Towns has unlocked the Knicks’ offense by serving more as an offensive hub and highlighting his passing, but he’s still the best shooting big man of all time. He sank 3 three-pointers while shooting an efficient 66.7% from the floor in game two, and could easily catch fire and come out of his matchup with Wemby as the most impactful big man in a short series.

Victor Wembanyama (+380)

Even with his team down two games, Wemby has looked like the best player on the floor for significant stretches. He shot over 50% from the field for 29 points in game two while logging nine rebounds, four blocks, and two steals. Those are star numbers, but the Spurs will need him to resemble something more superhuman if they’re to overcome their size and youth disadvantages and climb back from down 0-2.

Nobody has won the Finals MVP in a losing effort since Jerry West in 1969, and it would take an effort at least as impressive as West’s 40-point triple-double in game seven to repeat the honor. If anyone in the league could pull off those kinds of numbers though, it’s Victor Wembanyama.

Longshots

There’s still plenty of basketball left, and a handful of players have made steady impacts that could explode with the right combination of adjustments and luck. 

Mikal Bridges (+17500) has regained his form as a dynamic two-way threat. He scored 20 points in game two, and has been a connective tissue and clutch shooter throughout the Knicks’ win streak.

OG Anunoby (+17500) has shown no fear, nailing jumpers and dunking on Wemby for 17 points in each contest. He’s also been an imposing force on defense, totaling six blocks and assists through two games.

Stephon Castle (+25000) has played beyond his years, cutting down his turnovers while scoring in double digits and holding up well on defense.

Dylan Harper (+25000) didn’t even make a postseason tournament with Rutgers last year, but he’s looked more than comfortable on the game’s biggest stage. The rookie has only shot 1-7 from deep in the first two games, but he’ll keep seeing more minutes.

United States President Donald Trump isn't expected to show up uninvited to Game 3 of the NBA Finals. He'll be inside Madison Square Garden as the guest of New York Knicks owner James Dolan, and Trump made clear the two go way back.

"Well, I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan," Trump told reporters last week when asked about his plans to be in attendance when the Knicks host their first NBA Finals game since 1999 on Monday, June 8. "He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he’s a competitive guy. He’s got a team that’s amazing.

"They're really great, a great team. I'm happy for Jim (Dolan) because Jim has really been fighting hard to produce such a team," Trump added.

We recently went over all of LeBron James’ contract options in free agency and how that would impact which teams he’d be able to sign with.

But what if he wants to stay with the Lakers?

The franchise will have full Bird rights on LeBron, so they can sign him to anything up to a max contract. However, he might not have long to make his decision. He’ll have a $57.75 million cap hold on the Lakers’ books until they either re-sign him, sign-and-trade him elsewhere or renounce their free-agent rights on him entirely.

In other words: The Lakers’ offseason starts with reaching a decision on LeBron either way. They will not have a single dollar of cap space until they do that.

So, let’s explore what all of his different contract options would mean for the Lakers’ free-agency outlook.

Max contract

If LeBron wants a max deal, the Lakers can give him one, even though that would take them back over the cap. That’s the power of having LeBron’s full Bird rights.

However, that would also take them out of the running for other marquee free agents.

LeBron’s max salary next year is the same as his cap hit, $57.75 million. He and Luka Dončić alone would be earning $107.25 million. Add in Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), Jake LaRavia ($6.0 million), Dalton Knecht ($4.2 million), the No. 25 pick ($3.2 million), Adou Thiero ($2.1 million) and the guaranteed $1.26 million portion of Bronny James’ salary in 2026-27, and the Lakers would already be up to nearly $136.5 million.

That’s before factoring in the possibility of Deandre Ayton ($8.1 million) and Marcus Smart ($5.4 million) picking up their respective player options or Austin Reaves’ $20.9 million cap hit. Add those into the picture, and they’d already be over the cap after re-signing LeBron.

If the Lakers decided to operate as an over-the-cap team this offseason, they could have access to the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception as long as they stayed below the first apron. But using it would trigger a first-apron hard cap, which could complicate their ability to re-sign Reaves, Rui Hachimura and/or any of their other free agents.

Otherwise, if they re-sign James and opt to use cap space, they’ll have only the $9.4 million room mid-level exception at their disposal. (More on that later.)

Below max, above NTMLE

If LeBron wants more than the non-taxpayer MLE but is willing to take less than a max, the Lakers could meet him anywhere in the middle.

With just Luka, Vando, LaRavia, Knecht, the No. 25 pick, Thiero, the guaranteed portion of Bronny’s salary and Reaves’ cap hold on their books, the Lakers would be at $99.6 million in guaranteed salary. If they somehow convinced Ayton and Smart to decline their respective player options, they could have upward of $60 million in spending power. Granted, that would require them to renounce the rights to everyone, including LeBron, Rui and Luke Kennard. That isn’t likely to happen.

If the Lakers signed LeBron to a deal in the $25-30 million range, they still wouldn’t have any cap space once factoring in cap holds for Hachimura ($27.4 million), Kennard ($13.2 million) and Jaxson Hayes ($6.6 million). They’d have to renounce all of them to have significant cap space.

So, the TL;DR version: If the Lakers re-sign LeBron to something more than the non-taxpayer MLE, they aren’t likely to have cap space this summer.

NTMLE

If LeBron is willing to settle for the non-taxpayer MLE, that could open up more options for the Lakers.

The Lakers could go about that one of two ways. They could operate as an over-the-cap team and use their actual non-taxpayer MLE on LeBron, or they could just give him an equivalent amount with his Bird rights.

If they went the Bird rights route, they’d then have either the room MLE or non-taxpayer MLE to spend on another free agent, depending on whether they dipped below the cap or stayed above it.

This is the contractual range where it starts to make sense for the Lakers to bring LeBron back. If they lost Rui and Kennard in free agency, they still could have significant spending power to bring in other free agents before they turned their attention to re-signing Reaves.

Room exception

Unless LeBron is willing to take a minimum deal, this would be the Lakers’ dream scenario.

They would renounce their rights to LeBron at the start of free agency, spend all of their cap space and then re-sign him using the $9.4 million room MLE. This would not impact their free-agent plans whatsoever since his $57.75 million cap hold would be off their books.

If the Lakers also renounced their rights to Hachimura, Kennard and the rest of their free agents, they could have upward of $50 million in spending power to round out their roster around Luka and Reaves before re-signing LeBron with the room MLE.

The only question is whether LeBron is willing to settle for that amount when other contenders (including the Spurs) would be able to offer more via the non-tax MLE.

Min deal

If LeBron doesn’t care about money at this stage of his career and only wants to maximize his chances of winning a championship, he should take a minimum contract this offseason, whether with the Lakers or another team.

Teams get a special salary-cap exception to sign players to minimum deals, so even teams over the second apron are able to hand out such contracts. Much like the room MLE scenario, the Lakers would renounce their rights to LeBron at the start of free agency, spend the rest of their money elsewhere and then re-sign him once they’re capped out.

The only difference here is that they’d preserve their access to the room MLE to spend on someone who might be more of a long-term fixture in L.A. moving forward. That would help put the Lakers in a better position for whenever LeBron retires.

The bottom line is that the Lakers technically can give LeBron whatever he wants contractually. But the less that they can convince him to take, the better off they’ll be with regard to the rest of free agency.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

NEW YORK (AP) — In the NBA Finals, celebrity row property is worth $1 million.

The New York Knicks announced that was the winning bid in an auction for two seats for Game 3 on Monday night, the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999.

The winning bid was split by the law firm Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher LLP and private equity firm Veritas Capital. The fundraiser benefited the Garden of Dreams Foundation, and the Knicks said it was the largest single donation in the history of the foundation, which works with MSG’s companies to assist children at need in the tristate area.

The seats are located in section VIP 10, row AA, seats 25 and 26, right off center court. It’s impossible to know what they would usually cost, because the team doesn’t sell them. Instead, they are given to the celebrity fans such as Tracy Morgan and Timothée Chalamet who are courtside fixtures.

Seats everywhere in the building are expensive. The cheapest upper-deck seats available Sunday night were going for more than $6,000 on secondary markets like StubHub, SeatGeek and VividSeats. The experience of being courtside went for more than $75,000.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Donald Trump hates the NBA, but he loves attention. This has manifested itself by creating hell at Madison Square Garden for thousands of basketball fans in order to get some camera time, with Trump set to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York City on Monday night.

There is no shortage of receipts when it comes to Trump’s public disdain for the NBA. Trump rescinded his invite to the Warriors in 2017 after the team was hesitant about visiting the White House. In 2018, he preemptively banned both finals teams from the White House. In 2020, he was gleeful that the NBA had declining ratings. The same year, he mocked the low ratings of the NBA Finals and blamed them on LeBron James’ politics. In addition, he has joyously shared links to any article that seemingly spells trouble for the NBA, especially when it comes to TV ratings. This is par for the course when it comes to the president, who has done the same with the NFL when it comes to criticizing sports, yet when there’s an opportunity to get himself on camera via an invite from an owner, he’ll jump to it.

Knicks owner James Dolan, noted Trump supporter and shitty musician, invited the president to attend Game 3 of the Finals at Madison Square Garden. In doing so he’s displaced thousands of die-hard fans who love the NBA, and have supported the Knicks in spite of Dolan’s horrible ownership tenure.

With ticket prices soaring into the tens of thousands of dollars, one of the most popular events for Knicks fans have been watch parties outside Madison Square Garden. Those have been cancelled by the NYPD and Secret Service for Monday, citing security concerns with the president in attendance. In addition, fans who are actually attending the game will go through more rigorous “TSA-style” security screenings, which have resulted in fans being told to arrive two hours before tip-off, transforming the sporting event into an airport security line. That’s not all, as a ban on all bags is in effect as well — which includes clear bags typically allowed into NBA arenas. It’s unclear if the bag ban will also impact medication and childcare needs, which are typically allowed.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani has made alternate plans in response to the MSG watch ban, announcing a 5,000 person watch party in Manhattan’s Bryant Park, some eight blocks away from the arena. It’s a nice gesture to make up for some of the ban, but won’t nearly accommodate the number of fans who would have been outside the arena had Trump not attended the game. It’s estimated that 10,000 fans were in attendance for the watch party on West 33rd Street for Game 1, with the Eastern Conference Finals topping 6,000 fans.

All of this was unnecessary. Dolan chose to invite President Trump, which is his prerogative — but in doing so, he actively alienated the lifeblood of his organization: die-hard fans who have supported the Knicks, warts and all, over the 20-year NBA Finals drought. These are people who bleed blue and orange, who have been priced out of being inside the arena so the exceedingly wealthy can buy tickets. Now they’re being pushed back from being in close proximity to the arena, in service of a vanity appearance from a president who knowingly hates the NBA and its players.

Let them eat cake.

There is a popular meme of Kobe Bryant from the 2009 NBA Finals.

In a news conference, despite the Lakers ahead 2-0 in the series, he was asked why he wasn’t smiling.

“What’s there to be happy about? Job’s not finished,” he famously replied. “Job finished? I don’t think so.”

Jalen Brunson recreated that moment Sunday, as the Knicks prepared for Monday night’s Game 3 at the Garden up 2-0.

“In my mind there’s nothing really to celebrate yet,” the Knicks captain said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

Brunson has had complete focus throughout the postseason. When the Knicks clinched a spot in the Finals for the first time in 27 years, a video was posted of the team celebrating in the locker room. Brunson was sitting on his own, a look of determination on his face instead of joy. He has refused to take promotional photos with the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Asked about the excitement in the city, as the Knicks look to clinch their first title in 53 years, Brunson said he has refused to soak it in. He’s repeatedly told reporters he would look back at what this team accomplished when it’s over. Not a second sooner.

“I do my best to stay present in the moment, to do the things I can to make sure my mind is right,” said Brunson, the first player in NBA history to score the game-winning points in the final two minutes of consecutive Finals games. “Being mentally and physically ready every day. Trusting my work. That’s what’s gotten me here.”

When Game 2’s wild ending was brought up, Brunson looked at the glass half-empty. Yes, he was happy the Knicks were able to rally after blowing a 14-point advantage, but he was also concerned with what led to them losing that lead.

“We do need to be able to finish the game better,” he said. “Unacceptable the way we just obviously let that 14-point lead go the way we did.”

Clearly, Brunson is taking after Bryant. The only time to celebrate is when the ultimate goal is accomplished. 

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The NBA Finals move to the Big Apple when the San Antonio Spurs take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Our NBA player prop projections have you covered with NBA picks for this pivotal Game 3.

For more analysis, be sure to check out our complete Spurs vs. Knicks predictions on June 8.

Spurs vs Knicks computer picks for Game 3

Spurs	Knicks
Harper u5.5 rebounds -115	Hart u4.5 assists -112
Champagnie o9.5 points -115	Towns o3.5 assists -150
Fox o14.5 points -112	Brunson u26.5 points +100

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Spurs Game 3 computer picks

Dylan Harper Under 5.5 rebounds (-115)

Projection: 3.83 rebounds

This is the one and only five-star play our model found for this game, sitting with a 25.75% EV edge. Dylan Harper has been a beast on the boards, but our projections call for fewer rebounding chances for the guard at MSG tonight.

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Julian Champagnie Over 10.5 points (-115)

Projection: 11.25 points

Julian Champagnie took only five threes in Game 2, but still finished with eight points. The San Antonio Spurs need him to knock down outside looks to avoid a 0-3 hole, and his volume will be high enough to reach 11 points.

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De'Aaron Fox Over 14.5 points (-112)

Projection: 16.26 points

After a sluggish Game 1, De'Aaron Fox found his groove in his last outing with 20 points. Mitch Johnson has proven he is riding with his veteran PG, and he'll continue to get plenty of shots.

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Knicks Game 3 computer picks

Josh Hart Under 4.5 assists (-112)

Projection: 3.48 assists

Josh Hart has had a rough NBA Finals thus far, playing just 18 minutes in Game 2. While that was mostly due to foul trouble, our model doesn't see Hart's playmaking having much impact tonight.

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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 3.5 assists (-150)

Projection: 4.97 assists

Karl-Anthony Towns has been doing it all for the New York Knicks this series, eclipsing this assist total in both games. KAT is averaging nearly six assists per game in the postseason, and our model calls for him to dish out four more tonight.

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Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 points (+100)

Projection: 24.87 points

The Spurs have made it clear they're willing to let anyone but Jalen Brunson beat them. JB scored just 20 points on horrible efficiency, and one can only assume he'll get the majority of the defensive focus tonight at MSG.

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How to watch Spurs vs Knicks Game 3

Location	Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date	Monday, June 8, 2026
Tip-off	8:30 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
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Besides the stars on the court, a number of big names will flock to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday, June 8.

President Donald Trump is expected to attend the game between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, the first at the iconic Manhattan arena in nearly three decades.

Days after repealing bedtimes for the youngest Knicks fans, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also set to be in the stands.

In addition to the politicians, several famous faces could be in attendance as well.

Here's a look at all the VIPs that could show out.

Second verse, same as the first. In Game 2 of in the NBA Finals, the Spurs looked better than in Game 1, which they lost in the last minute to the New York Knicks. The defense was tighter, the offense was more disciplined, and the Spurs once again kept Jalen Brunson under wrap — until they didn’t. After another heartbreaking loss where the Spurs had a chance to win or, at worst, take it to overtime, the turnover of all turnovers handed the Knicks a 2-0 lead as the series heads to New York.

With that, I continue Fraternizing with the Enemy with Russell Richardson, editor-in-chief of our Knicks sister site Posting and Toasting, as we discuss what went right and wrong, and if the Spurs have one last push in them or if Knicks just flat out have their number this season. Click the links if you would like to revisit Part 1 or Part 2.

J.R. 

What a game. What an incredible game! Loved the ebb and flow. Loved the tension. Loved the comeback and taking the lead. Loved forcing the Brunson miss and rebound to bring it up the court with a chance to make sure that overtime was the worst possible result. Man, there is nothing like the final moments of a huge game with tons riding on it when it comes down to the final possession. 

I’d say that’s right about the point where I stopped loving things. From the point of that rebound it was either bad things or not so bad. But there were no good things. What a game, but how … what’s the word? I need a word for a pain so big that you can’t simply use the word pain because it’s too small to cover the enormity of the loss. The kind of pain that, as you come to terms with it, keeps growing to the point that you wonder if it’ll overwhelm you. A pain that you can’t get your arms around. A pain that makes you re-examine who you are and how you approach the things that matter. Excruciating. That’s the word. 

After you’ve found the right word, there’s nothing left to do but find the silver linings. I mean, of course, there are plenty of things to do besides that. There’s wallowing in the pain of a 0-2 series. There’s torturing yourself with the frustration of coming up short. There’s bemoaning missed calls and bad plays and missed free throws and turnovers. There is all of that. But none of that is constructive and so I refuse to do that to myself. I reject the idea that my fandom (the state and the core of my rooting for a team) would be something that turns me to bitterness. Never! So finding silver linings it is.

Wemby has come through in the clutch all season. He’s taken the measure of the moment and made not just big but huge plays. For him to see his best fall short is just the kind of pain that forces more focus and development and teamwork. That’s the kind of pain that makes a team dig deep and turn 2013 into 2014. Oh, it’s excruciating. But they either get hurt enough to learn from — really learn and improve— or they get back to 2-2. There’s no pressure on them now. After three straight days of “will NY sweep?” it’s free and easy from here until the series is tied or it’s all over.

R.R. 

Boy were my briefs tight in the final two minutes! When Victor Wembanyama put the Spurs ahead, 103-102, my voice squeaked like a 12-year-old eunuch’s. Thank goodness my baby-making days are over. Can you imagine explaining that to the specialist? “Everything was fine until that 14-0 run and then—sssnap!” 

That particular pain you speak of is all too familiar to us in New York. That existential dread still gives us shivers. You see, while the Spurs were hanging five championship banners, we went 53 years without one. (Not me personally, I’m old but not that old!) While you were partying, we were always talking about next year, and how Kevin Knox just needed a little refinement, and how Phil Jackson would lead us to the Promised Land (if he’d quit napping at team practices). Silver linings? Silver linings?? We had orange and blue skies, but they were always trimmed by strands of twinkling silver.

What we would be saying in your position–and you can trust my expertise on this, because Knicks fans have been in your position practically since Dr. Naismith hung his peach crates–is that there is no team more dangerous than one that has been summarily written off. Down 2-0? Ho Ho Ho!No sweat! This is the exactly the adversity Elfrid Payton needs to kick in the next gea–

Sorry. Had a gnarly flashback to the 2021 playoffs. My therapist calls this basketball-induced PTSD.

Returning to 2026: I thought San Antonio’s response to Game One mostly worked. They doubled the paint aggressively, got better games from De’Aaron Fox and Wembanyama, and defended more physically. Even Tony Brothers shook his head when Carter Bryant dropped an elbow on Jalen Brunson from the top rope. Ol’ Tone didn’t blow his whistle, but he did admonish the behavior with a stern head shake. Did you see the clip of Wemby nearly snapping Jose Alvarado’s neck? I hope Brooklyn has good chiropractors.

So, the fact that they threw a mightier haymaker and still came up short doesn’t bode well for your guys. Meanwhile, Brunson is primed to have a breakout game; Josh Hart hasn’t yet had one of his random five-three-pointer games; OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are playing defense like cops from El Salvador; and the ghost of Willis Reed has possessed the body of Towns. The most encouraging thing about heading home up 2-0 is that the Knicks haven’t even turned the dial all the way up yet.

Some on our side are speculating that Johnson might start Harper in place of Fox in Game Three. Fox’s ankle issues seem to be hindering San Antonio’s offense. Harper, being bigger, stronger, and more physical, would attack downhill, create tough pick-and-roll problems with Wembanyama, and force Brunson into heavy defensive work, opening up opportunities for the Spurs’ shooters and star big man. What do you think? Do you think Johnson will make the change?

J.R.

Nossir. Uh uh. Nope. 

As much as I would love to see Dylan’s minutes increase, if Fox is healthy enough to play, I don’t see Mitch starting Harper. I’m not saying Pop would’ve done it, but one of the things that happens when you replace a living legend is that you deal with a lot more second-guessing of the kind that would’ve been waived away with a breezy, “The guys got five rings and do you think you know more about basketball than he does!?”

I love Mitch. I feel certain that he’s the right guy. I think San Antonio has their Eric Spoelstra in Coach Johnson. You know, the guy who started in the Heat’s system as a video coordinator and worked his way up to being Riley’s right hand man, and eventually successor. That’s Mitch, only swap South Beach for the Alamo and slicked back hairdo for a white beard and a smirk. 

My take on Mitch from early season: it doesn’t matter if he’s the best qualified guy to take the Spurs to the Finals this year. It only matters that he’s the guy who will be able to grow with the team so that he’s finals-ready when the team is. Only there was a problem with that neat little take of mine. The team went out and made the finals! So we’re seeing what it looks like when a franchise’s 22-year-old best player who’s learning on the fly and is being coached by a first-full-year head coach who’s (say it with me) learning on the fly. So much potential that the sky is the limit. How high will they fly this year? No one knows but it’s been entertaining so far!

Yes, even Game 2 was stunningly entertaining – like a cinematic masterpiece that leaves you so emotionally impacted that you have to spend $10,000 in therapy to get over it. Costly, sure. But entertaining. 

So, with the ghosts of Elfrid Payton and Stephon Marbury hanging in the wings, and with the words “it might just be crazy enough to work” echoing in the halls, the series moves back to MSG. Would you agree that the pressure is on the Knicks at this point, or would that only happen should the Spurs take Game 3?

R.R.

How you thought about coach Mitch is kinda how we regarded coach Thibs. He was going to be the bridge—the Mark Jackson to the Steve Kerr, if you will. Tom was hired to install discipline, fundamentals, and a winning culture. He had never (head) coached a team to the Finals, nor did we expect him to. When the team reached the ECF last season, our heads were sent reeling. 

The camp was divided. The curmudgeon had delivered on one major dream (the ECF); did he deserve a chance at a Finals run, or were his weaknesses the last obstacles to glory? Leon Rose & Co. went with the latter. I’d say their choice has been vindicated.

One criticism of Thibs was that the Knicks’ offense became predictable: dribble handoffs at the top, drive-and-kicks, and heavy Brunson iso-ball. Mike Brown was hired to change that. Throughout the regular season, though, the offense looked eerily similar. Remember, this is not a young roster but one of seasoned vets, with pride and ingrained beliefs about their personal skills. (OK, psst—the problem was mostly KAT, but shhh. We love him now!)

Only in the playoffs has Mike Brown’s scheme been realized. The Knicks have consistently moved the ball and involved everyone in the offense. They’ve executed at a speed unseen from them before. In fact, I suspect their game plan—which is to push the pace to tire out Wemby—had the same deleterious effect on their stamina in Game Two. When they became winded, the old habits emerged. Late possessions became sloppy. Luckily, they snapped out of it enough to salvage the game, with special thanks to Captain Clutch.

Brunson was mauled for much of the night and never found a rhythm. In yet another massive moment, he hit the tying shot, recovered Wembanyama’s turnover, and scored the winning point. That’s why his jersey sells like hotcakes. The 2024-25 Clutch Player of the Year, remember.

To your question: the pressure should be on New York, with a chance to effectively slam the door with a Game Three victory on their home turf. But they are playing with such confidence that I doubt they’re overly concerned. Truly, an impartial juror would look at this scenario and say, “Duh. Can I go home now?” New York defeated the Spurs four out of five times between the regular season and postseason (pretty good for the purported underdogs, no?). Could San Antonio flip the script, unlock some cheat code, and win four of the next five? It’s possible. But don’t bet your kid’s college tuition on it.

This will come as a bit of a surprise to Duke fans, but the nation’s second-most hated NBA player?

According to RotoWire, it’s former Blue Devil Jayson Tatum.

He’s also the second-most hated NBA player nationally, including in Los Angeles, which is understandable given the intensity of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, and also, for some reason, Hawaii.

He’s also the most-hated in the Southeast, which we would put down to UNC and Kentucky fans, primarily.

The only guy more hated than Tatum? Draymond Green,and that’s no surprise, given his erratic and often offensive behavior.

According to RotoWire, “His combination of genuine superstar talent and a perceived smug on-court demeanor makes him the perfect villain for anyone not rooting for Boston.”

Okay, makes sense from a particular point of view, probably. To us, though, and probably most Duke fans, he’s a likable guy. He clearly adores his son, Deuce, and also puts the kid and his mom in his TV ads.

Part of it is naturally Boston. Either you like the Celtics, or you don’t. But a bigger part of it is probably Duke. And with Jon Scheyer doing a great job at Duke – in some ways, arguably better than Mike Krzyzewski – Duke hatred, which took a brief break after Coach K retired, is not going away anytime soon.

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