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New York ready to combust as NYPD shut down Knicks watch party outside Madison Square Garden

The NYPD won't allow an outdoor watch party near MSG as excited Knicks fans clamor for the team's first NBA Finals appearance this millennium.

Published May 23, 2026, 7:30 PM
Updated May 23, 2026, 7:56 PM1.6K
New York ready to combust as NYPD shut down Knicks watch party outside Madison Square Garden

The New York Knicks are two wins away from going back to the NBA Finals for the first time this millennium, and the city that never sleeps may not know what to do with itself if they make it there.

We all saw how electric Madison Square Garden was for Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, just imagine how much that place will be rocking if the Knicks can host a game with the Larry O'Brien Trophy in the building.

The entire roof may cave in!

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Karl-Anthony Towns celebrating after making a basket during an NBA game at Madison Square Garden

Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks celebrates after making a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter in Game Two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 21, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

And it's not just limited to home games either, as the fans have been clamoring to get an outdoor watch party outside of MSG organized to watch the Knicks on the road.

The NYPD, however, isn't about to let that happen.

There's a fine line between acting like a crazy fan and breaking the law, and sometimes having a preemptive plan in place is the best move.

I reached out to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch for comment, and although she hasn't responded yet, I sympathize with her position.

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She's between a rock and a hard place with this one.

New York Knicks fans reacting as the team walks off the court at Madison Square Garden

New York Knicks fans react as the team walks off the court after the game against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 10, 2022. (Elsa/Getty Images)

No one wants to deny Knicks fans a watch party, but it might be a wise decision to nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand.

There were a handful of arrests due to "fan rowdiness" after Game 2, which might explain the decision to pull the plug on the proposed watch party.

This makes sense too, given the recent incidents that have occurred in resort towns in nearby New Jersey, though this certainly wasn't a popular decision among fans.

With all that being said, I need to see the city of New York in the NBA Finals like I need air to breathe.

Watch party or not, the whole city might combust if the Knicks win an NBA Championship.

The ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes will be legendary, but there's business to attend to first.

Jalen Brunson dribbling a basketball during an NBA game at Madison Square Garden

Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks dribbles against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter in Game Two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 21, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The Knicks will have to buckle down and win two of the next four contests against a scrappy Cleveland Cavaliers team, but the fans will unfortunately have to watch from the comfort of their own couches.

There will be no "rowdiness" in the streets of NYC, at least not for Knicks fans.

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Austin Perry is a writer for OutKick.

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