Knicks Open NBA Finals With Game 1 Comeback, Watch Parties Galore!
All across Manhattan, hoops fans watched their Knickerbockers stun the Spurs with a furious fourth quarter surge, defeating San Antonio, 105-95.
| 06 Jun 2026 | 08:03
A fan waves a Knicks flag outside Madison Square Garden before the start of game 1. (
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Knicks fans were allowed to gather for an outdoor watch party outside Madison Square Garden for game 1 after the NYPD granted permission at the last minute. Security was tight and is expected to be even tighter if President Donald Trump makes it to Game 3 at MSG. (
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Fans watch Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs on a giant screen at the South Street Seaport. (
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Sadie’s Garden Bar, 19 Fulton St, New York, NY Knicks Watch Party 2026 (
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The Financial District turned into a postseason pressure cooker Thursday night as Knicks fans packed Sadie’s in South Street Seaport to watch Game 1 of the NBA Finals unfold across massive outdoor screens, drink specials flowing and game audio echoing through 19 Fulton St. Other Knicks fans gathered at watch parties outside Madison Square Park and at the Summer Stage in Central Park.
Sadie’s, one of the Seaport’s premier viewing destinations, featured wall-to-wall screens and an open-air bar space that has made it a consistent hub for Knicks watch parties. On this night, it felt less like a bar and more like a downtown extension of the Garden.
On the court, San Antonio dictated the early pace, controlling the first half and building a lead that reached as many as 14 points in the third quarter. The Knicks responded with a defensive surge and timely second-chance scoring, finishing with a 23-14 advantage in that category.
The game tightened late, and with under eight minutes remaining, the score was tied at 86-86. From there, New York closed with an 11-0 run to secure a Game 1 victory and set the tone for the series.
Across Manhattan, demand to be part of the Finals atmosphere spilled far beyond the arena. Madison Square Garden hosted an official Game 1 watch party, but entry required advance tickets priced at $10, which sold out within minutes. Proceeds benefited the Garden of Dreams Foundation. At the Summer Stage in Central Park, admission was free but an advance ticket was required.
For fans who missed the early tickets at MSG, resale prices quickly spiked, with secondary-market tickets listed well above $100 and continuing to rise ahead of Game 2.
Game 3 which will be back at Madison Square for the first time this series. Tickets on reseller sites are selling rapidly. Four court side seats on June 5 for the Monday night game were listed at $81,678.
Game 3 will feature Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump. They are not likely to see one another as Trump has been invited as guest of MSG chairman and Knicks owner James Dolan. Mamdani will be paying his own way and will likely be sitting in the cheat seats. But even those seats are expensive. Stub hub was listing an upper level seat, that used to be known as the blue seats, for $8,957.
Outside the Garden, Plaza 33 drew large crowds for a public viewing, while Central Park also hosted a free watch party option. Thousands of fans converged around Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night, turning Midtown into a sprawling celebration of Knicks basketball.
Even outside the noise of Midtown, belief in the Seaport remained steady.
“I want a sweep but I’m not expecting one, best case Knicks win in 5, but let's just win game 1,” said a fan named Devon who obviously got his game 1 wish while viewing at the Seaport.
Game 3 which will be back at Madison Square for the first time this series. Tickets inside on reseller sites are selling rapidly and at sky high prices. Four court side seats listed on June 5 for the Monday night game were selling for $81,678.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump have both said they are going to take in Game 3, which could create a security nightmare around MSG.
They are not likely to see one another as Trump has been invited as guest of MSG chairman and Knicks owner James Dolan. Mamdani will be paying his own way and will likely be sitting in the cheat seats. But even those seats are expensive. Stub hub was listing an upper level seat, that used to be known as the blue seats, for $8,957 on June 5, the cheapest seat available.
As the Knicks move deeper into theFinals, New York’s watch parties with considerably less expensive prices continue to mirror the intensity on the fans who can afford indoor seats: crowded, loud and increasingly impossible to ignore.