The Knicks dropped Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, but the real loss might have been off the court. In the aftermath of a tough defeat, chaos erupted outside Madison Square Garden, leading to more than 20 arrests and a public plea from one of the team’s most famous supporters.
Ben Stiller, the actor and lifelong Knicks fan who has been a courtside fixture throughout this playoff run, took to social media Tuesday to address the ugly scenes. He didn't mince words.
“Being a Knick fan doesn’t mean being disrespectful to Spurs fans in any way…we get caught up during the games but we gotta show respect to our fellow humans…” Stiller wrote on X, urging the Garden faithful to dial down the hostility.
Monday night’s Game 3 saw several San Antonio Spurs fans attacked outside the arena, with police taking 21 Knicks fans into custody. Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama didn’t hold back when asked about the incidents.
“I am all for passion, but to the respect of each other. It’s unacceptable,” Wembanyama told reporters Tuesday, making it clear that the violence crossed a line.
The trouble wasn’t limited to the streets around MSG. NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a stern warning to Knicks fans, emphasizing that while passion is welcome, assaults on police officers and fights in the streets will not be tolerated. “New Yorkers are understandably passionate about the Knicks, and the overwhelming majority of fans watched the game last night in ways that were both safe and fun,” a spokesperson for Mamdani said. “But the fights and other disruptive incidents — including assaults on police officers — in various parts of the city are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
The Knicks now face a 2-1 series deficit heading into Game 4 on Wednesday night. But for Stiller and many others, the focus has shifted from the scoreboard to the behavior of the fanbase. It’s a reminder that even in the heat of a championship chase, there’s no excuse for crossing the line.
Game 4 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and the hope is that the only fireworks come from the court. For more on the fallout from Game 3, check out the details on the 21 arrests and the chaos that followed. And if you missed it, the mayor’s warning to fans made it clear that the city is watching closely.
