NY Knicks tell fans to arrive two hours early as Trump set to attend NBA Finals game

New York Knicks fans attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals are being warned to bring as little as possible and arrive at least two hours before tip-off, due to enhanced security measures for President Donald Trump's attendance.

The Knicks confirmed Saturday that a strict no-bag policy will be in place, with "TSA-style screening procedures" for fans entering Madison Square Garden. The game is scheduled to begin just after 8.40pm EDT.

A long-standing Knicks fan, President Trump confirmed on Friday that he would attend the first NBA Finals game in New York since 1999.

He has previously attended a number of major sporting events in his second term, including the 2025 Super Bowl, Daytona 500, and the Ryder Cup.

The Knicks said there would be no storage at MSG for prohibited items brought to the arena. A list of them is available through this link.

The US President will be alongside a host of Knicks superfans, including the likes of filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.

Lee and Chalamet were among the celebrities who attended their Game 1 victory in San Antonio on Wednesday night, along with comedian Tracy Morgan and actor Ben Stiller.

When a reporter recently asked whether Trump would attend a finals game at MSG, he boasted about the Knicks and said he would be at the stadium to watch them.

“I've been a Knicks fan for a long time, and I'm also a Jim Dolan fan. He's a nice guy,” Trump said from the Oval Office Thursday, referring to the owner of the Knicks.

“He's been a long time wanting to win, and he's a competitive guy, and he's got a team that's amazing.”

Trump said Dolan invited him to the finals, adding, “I’m going.”

Donald Trump and Bill O'Reilly attend the game between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden on 30 November 2014 (Getty)

The president commended both NBA teams for their performances at a nail-biting Game 1. The Knicks won the game 105 to 95 after coming back from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter.

“I saw the beginning of the game, and it wasn't looking good [for the Knicks],” Trump said. “I missed the middle because I talk to generals all night long now. But I watched that end of the game, and they were dominant.”