After a rowdy Game 3 that brought arrests at a Bryant Park watch party, Ben Stiller and Mayor Zohran Mamdani pushed Knicks fans to avoid harassing Spurs supporters ahead of Game 4 at Madison Square Garden.
When Madison Square Garden tipped off for Game 3, it didn’t just end in a Knicks loss—it set off a chain reaction across the city.
By Monday night, the first Finals defeat for the Knicks since late April had already spilled beyond the arena. At a watch party in Bryant Park. fights broke out. people climbed onto police cars and scaffolding. and some rushed onto light poles and trucks. Others pulled trees and bus signs out of the ground. Police said some attendees threw glass objects “at each other and police officers.”.
More than 20 people were taken into custody on Monday night. Eight were arrested and charged. Another thirteen were released with criminal court summons.
The Knicks now return home for Game 4 of the NBA Finals tonight, with the Garden set to host the next swing of the series. The opponent is the San Antonio Spurs.
With fan emotions still running hot, big-name figures moved to cool things down. On June 9—the day before Game 4—Ben Stiller. a longtime Knicks fan known for showing up courtside. posted on X: “Being a Knick fan doesn’t mean being disrespectful to Spurs fans in any way.” He added. “We get caught up during the games but we gotta show respect to our fellow humans.”.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani then quoted Stiller’s post, echoing the same message. “Couldn’t agree more,” he wrote. “We’ll win this series on the court (even if the refs refuse to call a flagrant on Wemby), not by targeting, harassing, or attacking Spurs fans.”
The Knicks play the Spurs tonight, June 10, at 8:30 p.m.
Knicks NBA Finals Madison Square Garden Ben Stiller Zohran Mamdani San Antonio Spurs Bryant Park watch party arrests fan behavior