Watch party for Knicks-Spurs Game 5 set; 3,000 fans expected to swarm Madison Square Garden

Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News on Jun 13, 2026

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NEW YORK — Madison Square Garden will host a Knicks watch party on Saturday night, with at least 3,000 fans expected to swarm outside the “World’s Most Famous Arena” to watch the potential NBA Finals clincher, officials said.

Thousands more Knicks fans will be gathering throughout Manhattan and the five boroughs, with their team one game away from becoming NBA champions for the first time in 53 years.

The NYPD is expected to be out in force, especially around Madison Square Garden, as the game, which will be played in San Antonio, begins at about 8:30 p.m.

Mayor Mamdani said Saturday morning that “the whole city will be watching” the Knicks game, while urging New Yorkers to not let their jubilation get out of hand.

“Lets enjoy this moment and show the world how we celebrate joyfully and responsibly,” he said on “The Morning Pitch” broadcast about the city’s preparedness for the World Cup. “Tonight is our night.”

Registration for watch party tickets will begin at 10 a.m., and only ticketed members will be allowed through the NYPD frozen zone outside MSG which has been set up at every NBA Final game over the past week, according to the announcement on NBA.com.

“Catch the game outside on the big screen!” the notice reads. “The event will hold a maximum of 3,000 ticketed fans within the NYPD “frozen zone.” Only ticketed watch party fans will be permitted entry. All fans will be scanned by NYPD and must be in place at Plaza33 no later than 8:30pm.”

Additional watch parties will be held at Wollman Rink in Central Park and Radio City Music Hall, where fans can get a watch party ticket for $10.

MSG owner James Dolan abruptly canceled a watch party for Game 4 on Wednesday, complaining that the number of people allowed under an NYPD-issued permit for the event — a maximum of 999 — was too small, even though that’s what MSG requested on its permit.

Even without a watch party, Game 4’s come-from-behind victory for the Knicks ended in bedlam, with 10 NYPD cops getting injured while arresting 56 jubilant fans — with celebrants destroying a yellow cab and Citi Bikes and setting off fireworks, officials said.

A 17-year-old boy was also beaten into a coma during a fight just three blocks away from MSG, police said.

On Friday, Knicks fans found outside MSG were hoping that chaos doesn’t ensue if their team takes Game 5, and encouraged their fellow fans to behave themselves.

“I don’t think Jalen Brunson, I don’t think Towns, would want that to happen,” long-time Knicks fan Jay Weichun said about the expected bedlam. “(Fans should) stay locked in, stay focused.”

“Follow the example of the team,” the Staten Island native said. “They’re showing love, they’re trusting each other.”