Trump’s NBA – A Knicks loss in Game 3 triggered a new round of political sports chatter after President Donald Trump attended the NBA Finals, with CNN data analyst Harry Enten pointing to an “infamous” 2006 Mets photo in which Trump appeared as the Mets later lost key posts
For New York Knicks fans, Monday night didn’t just end in a scoreline that stung. It ended with a familiar target for blame: the man sitting in the background.
President Donald Trump arrived as the city was bracing for Game 3 of the NBA Finals. after the Knicks had built a historic 13-game playoffs winning streak. The mood was electric—until the San Antonio Spurs upset the Knicks 115-111. Some fans have pointed their frustration directly at Trump and his controversial attendance.
On CNN’s “The Source. ” chief data analyst Harry Enten leaned into the moment by recalling a 2006 New York Mets postseason memory he called “this infamous photo.” Enten said he argued that during his lifetime. the Mets had their best chance to win a World Series in 2006. He described the Mets’ path that year. saying they ran through the regular season and had a big Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. when Carlos Beltrán was at the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Then came what Enten framed as the turning point: he said Beltrán took a called strike three, and the Mets lost.
“So what is the photo? Who’s in the background of that photo? No other than Donald John Trump,” Enten said, describing Trump as looking down in “maybe the exact same suit he is wearing tonight.”
Enten added that Knicks fans could end up holding a potential loss against Trump “forever.” No sitting president has ever attended an NBA Finals game. and Trump—whose approval ratings were already dire—was booed heavily Monday when his motorcade arrived and during his appearance on the MSG jumbotron right before the game.
Enten’s recollection didn’t stop at baseball nostalgia. He said he was a big New York Mets fan as a child, “a born and bred New Yorker,” and he recalled that the Mets lost in 2006 to the St. Louis Cardinals, who went on to win the World Series.
The political argument didn’t come only from Enten. Alyssa Farah Griffin. who has served as a co-host on “The View” and previously worked as an ex-White House communications director. urged Trump not to attend the game. Speaking Monday. she said: “From a political standpoint. I would have advised him against this. because the Knicks are on this incredible winning streak. If he loses tonight, everyone is going to blame him. They’re going to say, ‘He jinxed it. He cursed it. His presence was a distraction.’”.
Trump’s Queens background—matching the Mets’ hometown identity—has done little to cool the speculation. The series now moves to the next night of waiting and second-guessing: the Knicks can still win the title and are set to play the Spurs again Wednesday in Game 4.
Donald Trump New York Knicks San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals Game 3 Game 4 Harry Enten Mets Carlos Beltrán 2006 NLCS Alyssa Farah Griffin MSG jumbotron approval ratings
wait so Trump just walked in and the Knicks immediately lost? lol
People acting like a photo from 2006 means the Mets were cursed?? That’s not how sports work. But I guess if you need a villain…
So the article says Mets loss = Beltran strike three = Trump in the background? i mean Beltran was literally standing there. also Knicks loss means Trump was there, not like the Spurs scored? seems kinda backwards.
Honestly I don’t even care about the Mets photo, but the ‘jinx’ talk is hilarious. Like Harry Enten is acting real confident and everyone just runs with it. Meanwhile Knicks fans will probably blame Trump for anything forever now. next thing you know every time they lose it’s like “he was in the background again” 😂