NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� has set the stage for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs to be 鈥� inside Madison Square Garden and out on the streets and in bars across New York City.
With the Knicks in the finals for the first time since 1999 and , their first home game this round is a hot ticket. The get-in price exceeds the average cost of rent in the biggest U.S. city.
As of Sunday evening, the cheapest upper-deck seats available were going for over $6,000 on secondary markets like StubHub, SeatGeek and VividSeats. The experience of being courtside goes for more than $75,000.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 care who you are, that鈥檚 a lot of money for a ticket,鈥� said guard Jose Alvarado, a New York native who was planning a viewing party in Brooklyn and pointed out his Queens high school also is hosting one. 鈥淧eople that could afford it, we鈥檙e grateful with them coming out, and it just shows you our team is really special and we鈥檙e doing something here that hasn鈥檛 been done in a long time.鈥�
The Knicks are two victories away from their first championship since 1973, and the hoopla for Game 3 includes the anticipated appearances of and Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Trump’s presence outside the arena, where fans have gathered throughout this run that has included a 13-game winning streak.
鈥淗ope has been brought back to the city,鈥� center Karl-Anthony Towns said. Teammate Josh Hart expects 鈥渋t’s going to be rocking鈥� but lamented the high cost just to get into the Garden.
鈥淚 kind of wish the ticket prices weren鈥檛 as crazy as they are,鈥� Hart said. 鈥淚 feel like a lot of people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time unfortunately aren鈥檛 able to get into the building.鈥�
No NBA team has gone up 2-0 in the finals on the road and not won the series. The possibility of a sweep drove ticket prices up to over $10,000 apiece, and an if-necessary Game 6 is around the same cost.
Under 20,000 people will get the opportunity to attend each night. Alvarado knows far more will be watching on television all over.
鈥淭he people that can鈥檛 afford it, we improvise,鈥� he said. “We鈥檙e New Yorkers. We鈥檙e going to find a way to watch a game, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e doing.鈥�
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