Sydney Sweeney led an A-list Knicks crowd in San Antonio for Game 5 of the NBA Finals, where New York beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 to win its first championship in 53 years. Timothee Chalamet was also courtside, while Taylor Swift did not repeat her Wednes
Sydney Sweeney arrived in San Antonio days after surprising Knicks fans inside Madison Square Garden—and this time, she was front and center when the New York Knicks finally ended a 53-year title drought.
Game 5 of the NBA Finals turned into a spectacle in Frost Bank Center on Saturday night. with the Knicks closing out the Spurs 94-90 to clinch their first NBA Championship in 53 years. The win came after heartbreak in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. where the Spurs—led by Victor Wembanyama—entered Game 5 facing elimination after blowing a 29-point lead in a historic collapse on Wednesday.
Sweeney. dating lifelong Knicks fan and music producer Scooter Braun. had already drawn attention in New York when she appeared at MSG. But her courtside situation at Game 5 was suddenly different—she and Braun initially had to adjust after failing to secure a courtside seat during her Madison Square Garden run-in earlier in the week. The couple ended up rows behind Taylor Swift, who sat alongside the Haim sisters as she took a prominent place.
In San Antonio, though, Sweeney and Braun found redemption. They were spotted front and center at Frost Bank Center. with Sweeney wearing a unique Knicks jersey-style top featuring New York superstar Jalen Brunson’s No 11. She later slipped into an oversized vintage Knicks sports jacket, signaling her support for the visiting team. Her arrival stunned plenty of onlookers. including NBA analyst Charles Barkley. who made a delayed reaction to her presence during ABC’s coverage. saying. “Sydney Sweeney is here?” and adding. “Everybody is a New York Knicks fan now.”.
The A-list presence didn’t stop there. Timothee Chalamet. continuing his passionate fandom at Game 5. sat courtside next to Josh Safdie in the front row as he animatedly cheered through every turn of the game. Chalamet has been courtside throughout the playoffs. and Saturday night didn’t change that—he made sure to be there as the Knicks wrapped up the championship.
Yet the seats around the hype carried their own quiet absences. Chalamet’s girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, did not appear to join him for the Finals clash. Jenner also did not attend any of the first three games of the series against the Spurs. though she made her Finals debut on Wednesday back in the Big Apple. The Daily Mail previously spotted the pair holding hands as they arrived inside MSG. with Jenner wearing a low-key white cropped vest and jeans. while Chalamet rocked double denim with a Knicks-inspired Chrome Hearts jacket.
Back in San Antonio, the Knicks’ Hollywood orbit also included Spike Lee, seen with another of his custom eclectic and vibrant outfits. Other notable names courtside included John Turturro, Tracy Morgan, Allan Houston, and Knicks legend Patrick Ewing.
Taylor Swift, meanwhile, did not repeat her Wednesday blockbuster appearance in San Antonio. On the previous night at MSG, she had donned a “Stevie Knicks” t-shirt to sit alongside the Haim sisters. For Game 4, Swift sat courtside two seats down from Ben Stiller, and she was flanked by Alana and Este Haim. At MSG. she was even shown on the jumbotron earlier in the game. drawing rapturous applause—contrasting with the boos heard for President Donald Trump on Monday night. But for Game 5, Swift snubbed the trip to San Antonio, with her wedding to Travis Kelce on the horizon.
New York’s impact wasn’t confined to the arena. As the Knicks finished the job in San Antonio. supporters back across the five boroughs packed bars and public watch parties throughout the city on Saturday night. While Saturday rush hour can usually clear out faster than it does on weekdays. the streets didn’t get that kind of break—countless Knicks fans and World Cup tourists clogged trains. subways. and highways ahead of the Finals and a Group C match between Brazil and Morocco.
The Knicks hosted watch parties outside MSG and Radio City Music Hall. though only 3. 000 ticketed fans were permitted within the NYPD’s “frozen zone” around the arena. At Radio City Music Hall. attendees could watch on big screen televisions for $10 per person. with proceeds set to be donated to MSG’s Garden of Dreams foundation.
For the Spurs and Wembanyama, the pressure was immediate. After the collapse from a 29-point lead in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, they entered Game 5 facing elimination. And on Saturday night. with New York carrying its A-list energy—Sweeney and Braun in the spotlight. Chalamet cheering in the front row. Swift absent. and the city’s fans gathered at home—the Knicks claimed the 94-90 win that closed the series and crowned a team that had waited 53 years for this moment.
NBA Finals Game 5 New York Knicks San Antonio Spurs Sydney Sweeney Scooter Braun Timothee Chalamet Jalen Brunson Victor Wembanyama Taylor Swift Kylie Jenner Spike Lee