The NBA Finals continue tonight as the New York Knicks look to make home advantage count and take a 3-1 lead against the San Antonio Spurs.
Ahead of tip-off, the New York Police Department announced enhanced security measures to ensure crowd control and avoid a repeat of the chaos and violence that followed Game 3.
NBA World Reacts as NYPD Unveils Strict Security Measures Ahead of Game 4
Fans attending Game 4 at Madison Square Garden will once again have to go through secure zones and screenings to be allowed entry into the arena. Bags remain prohibited, and watch party entry will be restricted to ticket holders only.
These measures have not gone down well with the NBA world, with Knicks fan and journalist Ashley Nicole Moss leading the criticism.
“This sucks,” she wrote on X.
this sucks. https://t.co/MO9ODZEf1H
— Ashley Nicole Moss (@AshNicoleMoss) June 10, 2026
Another New York native called out the lack of consideration for daily commuters and called the strict security measures an “abuse of power.”
“No sort of care or consideration for those that have to commute daily. Just continuous abuse of power,” they wrote.
No sort of care or consideration for those that have to commute daily. Just continuous abuse of power. https://t.co/MvkOEEjPZC
— Queer Latifah ✨ (@TheAfrocentricI) June 10, 2026
The Daily Wire’s Brent Scher claimed this showed that the strict measures in place ahead of Game 3 had nothing to do with President Donald Trump attending the NBA Finals.
“Elevated security had nothing to do with Trump. It was Mamdani’s NYPD the whole time,” he wrote.
Elevated security had nothing to do with Trump. It was Mamdani’s NYPD the whole time. https://t.co/XtyRMNZYjW
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) June 10, 2026
A Knicks fan expressed concern with the heightened security measures being adopted for Game 4.
“I don’t get it. Why can’t you scan everyone in this perimeter? Why can’t people that just want to be near the Garden agree to get scanned blocks and avenues away from MSG? People should be allowed to be outside the Garden even without a ticket… There is a sense and a feeling that we’ve been waiting for, and we’re not getting that feeling now. Part of waiting all these years and this time and money we’ve spent on the Knicks is to celebrate together,” he said in a video.
@NYPDnews please reconsider, PLEASE!
Go Knicks https://t.co/YyDP0MX9dL pic.twitter.com/bTrLSLzD5L
— DP (@CAPTAINPEARLNYK) June 10, 2026
Security measures were initially enhanced to prepare for President Trump’s visit to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and fans had to wait in long lines for hours and undergo screenings to enter the arena. However, after multiple instances of fan violence and arrests, they have been retained for Game 4.
The Spurs claimed a 115-111 win in Game 3 to halve the deficit in the NBA Finals to 2-1. The Knicks will now look to get back on the front foot and take a big step towards winning their first NBA title since 1973. Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. ET.
