NEW YORK -- Donald Trump is set to be the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game, bringing strict security measures that will require New York Knicks fans to navigate an extensive safety perimeter around Madison Square Garden and an expected lengthy wait to get inside the building.
The security for Game 3 between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs and the scene around the arena more closely resembled New Year's Eve in Times Square, and for fans, it might seem more akin to a trip to the airport. They were asked to get to the game two hours early and will be required to provide a ticket to get past various checkpoints along with passing through a TSA-style magnetometer.
Trump's appearance led the New York Police Department and Secret Service to establish a multiblock security perimeter around the arena, cancel a watch party outside and institute a no-bag policy for ticket holders. Fans had gathered around the Garden to watch games during this playoff run, during which the Knicks have won 13 games in a row to reach the Finals for the first time since 1999 and move two victories from their first NBA title since 1973.