NEW YORK — The area around Madison Square Garden was locked down starting at 4 p.m. Monday to thwart any threats as President Donald Trump watches the Knicks play the NBA Finals Game 3 — laying the groundwork for massive gridlock and disruptions for New Yorkers.

A frozen zone is being enforced from West 30th to West 35th streets between Sixth and Eighth avenues in Midtown Manhattan starting just as rush hour begins, authorities said.

The plan was for no vehicular traffic on Seventh and Eighth avenues with only those who have a ticket to the game, a commuter train ticket or credentials for local businesses allowed through the security perimeter.

“In addition to personnel, our security posture provides drones, as well as advanced counter drone technology, protective intelligence, specialized tactical teams and operational resources that allow us to identify and address potential threats while maintaining a welcoming environment for fans,” said Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s New York office.

“From the ground to the sky, the Secret Service and our partners have it covered.”

McCool, speaking with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch at police headquarters at One Police Plaza in lower Manhattan early Monday, outlined the security measures in place for the big game.

Most notably, there is no watch party outside the Garden — though Mayor Zohran Mamdani did announce that to make up for that Bryant Park will host one for up to 5,000 people, along with those already set for Central Park and Brooklyn Bowl. There will be a watch party outside the Garden for Game 4 on Wednesday.

Those granted entry to the frozen zone will have to pass through an NYPD checkpoint at one of five locations: Sixth Avenue at West 32nd and West 33rd streets, Seventh Avenue and West 29th Street and Eighth Avenue at West 30th and West 34th streets.

Only those entering Penn Station will be allowed into the frozen zone with bags.

A transit source said that subways would operate as usual, including making stops at Penn Station. The source noted subway service continued throughout Trump’s 2024 Madison Square Garden campaign rally and the expectation is this ought to function the same way.

Tisch said the lockdown would be in place for the entire game, even if Trump leaves early, and that it mirrors how the NYPD secures Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

“It’s simple,” she said. “Celebrate the Knicks but avoid the MSG area tonight.”

McCool urged those with tickets to get to the Garden at least two hours before the 8:30 p.m. tip-off and be prepared for magnetometer screening. Backpacks, bags and purses will not be allowed, he said.

Mayor Mamdani will also be attending Monday night’s game. He bought a $1,000 standing room only ticket, he said Monday.

“We know what comes with a presidential visit, and Secret Service protocols necessitate a different set of preparation than we would otherwise be taking for the finals,” Mamdani said, adding that New York will see a “very different set of preparations” on Wednesday, when Trump is not slated to attend.

Mamdani said the extra security measures Monday would not make protesting Trump impossible.

“The right to protest is one that is innate, not only to the spirit of our city but also the laws of our country,” he said. “And the procedures that are being taken today are ones that honor that right.”

Last Friday, an estimated 7,000 spectators flooded West 33rd Street outside the Garden for a watch party for Game 2, played in San Antonio.

There was plenty of harmless revelry as the Knicks won, but 26 people were taken into custody with nine issued summonses for disorderly conduct and 17 arrested for a variety of offenses, from assault to selling counterfeit merchandise.

One NYPD officer was repeatedly punched as she tried to stop a female fan who jumped a barricade and ran into a frozen area, police said.

Karely Reyes, 29, was charged with assault, resisting arrest and obstruction of government administration.

As Reyes was detained and transported in a police van, she repeatedly kicked her feet up in the air, then bit the arm of a cop who tried to stop her, saying, “Mmm, tasty,” prosecutors alleged.

She was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court Saturday and granted supervised release until her next court appearance.

A similar event outside MSG after Game 1 on Wednesday ended in eight arrests and thousands of dollars in damage when revelers jumped on a passing ambulance. An NYPD chief was punched in the face and a woman accidentally set her hair on fire during the celebration, police said.

A man quickly rushed up and sprayed the woman’s head with a fire extinguisher, putting out the flames.

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(Evan Simko-Bednarski contributed to this story.)

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