The energy in New York City is absolutely unmatched right now.
Our Knicks are returning to Madison Square Garden tonight with a massive 2-0 lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.
We are just two wins away from breaking a championship drought that goes all the way back to 1973.
And if you somehow are going to the game tonight, getting inside the World’s Most Famous Arena tonight will take some serious patience.
President Donald Trump is attending Game 3 as a guest of Knicks owner Jim Dolan, and that means the United States Secret Service is essentially taking over Midtown.
Security is going to be incredibly tight around the venue and Penn Station.
Here’s what to expect.
What to expect at the gates
Fans heading to the game need to prepare for intense airport-level screening before they even catch a glimpse of the court.
Madison Square Garden and the Secret Service have officially announced a strict no-bag policy for tonight.
This means no backpacks, no purses, and no totes of any size are allowed inside.
Here is exactly what you need to know before heading to the arena:
- No bags allowed: Leave your purses and backpacks at home.
- Zero storage space: The venue will not hold prohibited items for you. You will be forced to throw them away or leave the line.
- TSA-level checks: Expect thorough screenings at every single checkpoint.
- Arrive super early: Doors open at 6:30 pm and officials urge fans to be there at least two hours before the 8:30 pm tip-off to make it to your seat on time.
Thousands of NYPD officers and hundreds of Secret Service agents will be operating magnetometers to get people inside.
You can definitely expect lines to wrap around the block.
Navigating street closures and watch parties
The security perimeter around the Garden will be truly massive this evening.
According to ABC7 New York, a hard secure zone stretches from West 30th Street to West 35th Street between Sixth and Eighth avenues.
You can expect Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue to completely shut down to regular vehicular and pedestrian traffic starting right at 4 pm.
Do not expect to just stroll past the arena.
Police will only allow you into this blocked off zone if you have a game ticket, a Penn Station train ticket, or proof you work at a business on those specific blocks.
Everyone entering the perimeter will be screened before they even get to the venue doors.
If you are cleared to enter the zone, officials have set up five designated entry points:
- West side of Sixth Avenue at West 32nd Street
- West side of Sixth Avenue at West 33rd Street
- Northeast corner of West 29th Street and Seventh Avenue
- Northeast corner of West 30th Street and Eighth Avenue
- Southeast corner of West 34th Street and Eighth Avenue
Rail service at Penn Station remains fully operational underneath the arena.
Commuters should just brace for major congestion and delays all evening long.
Finding an alternate watch party
Because of this intense lockdown, the usual fan watch parties on the Plaza 33 space outside the Garden are totally canceled for Game 3.
You can still catch the action with fellow fans at official watch parties happening at Bryant Park, Wollman Rink, and Brooklyn Bowl.
Let’s Go Knicks.
