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The NBA Finals are returning to Madison Square Garden for the first time in 27 years, and ticket prices, as well as the team’s success thus far against the San Antonio Spurs, have been a hot topic.
But one player in the starting five believes it is “ridiculous” to see thousands spent on a single ticket to enter “Mecca”.
Josh Hart spoke to reporters before Game 3 tip-off Monday night at The Garden, where he was asked about ticket prices for Games 3 and 4 scheduled for this week.
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New York Knicks guard Josh Hart reacts during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 10, 2026. (Kyle Ross/Imagn Images)
“I wish ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are,” Hart replied.
“I feel that many people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time are unfortunately not able to enter the building. “The cheapest ticket $7,000, $8,000. It’s ridiculous.”
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Tickets soared after the Knicks held on to beat the Spurs, 105-104, to push their series lead to 2-0 heading into Game 3. Over the weekend, secondary ticket markets earned as high as $10,000.
Tickets have since dropped, with some pointing to the fact that President Donald Trump plans to attend Game 3. There will be enhanced security measures and heavy restrictions on what fans can bring inside the arena, and the Knicks said in a statement that they should arrive at The Garden about two hours before tip-off to “allow additional time for screening and access.”
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Screening can be similar to a TSA line at an airport.
Trump was also asked about ticket prices over the weekend, and his answer was very different from Hart’s.
“They can see it on television,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday after being asked about tickets to the game he is expected to attend.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on his way to Chippewa Falls, Wis., on Friday. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images))
“It’s kind of semi-free to watch it on TV. That’s how life goes,” he added.
Monday night would mark another major sporting event Trump has attended since being sworn in for his second term. He was at the Super Bowl in New Orleans two NFL seasons ago, while also attending the Daytona 500 and Ryder Cup.
For the Knicks, a sweep of the best-of-seven series is a possibility as they continue to match up with the Spurs in their building this time around. Game 4 would be a potential championship-clinching tilt, and ticket prices have matched the moment as well.
Registration price per Game time is $10,097 as of Sunday night and the maximum is $110,964.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver even commented on ticket prices for the Finals, calling it “frustrating” that more people can’t afford to attend. But as a businessman at heart, Silver understands the market is skyrocketing given the history at stake for the Knicks.
Either way, players like Hart, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns aren’t focused on who will be in the building, even if the President of the United States is sitting courtside. They’ve been stoic in their response despite their current 13-game winning streak, understanding “The job’s not done,” as the late great Kobe Bryant famously said when he was up 2-0 with the Los Angeles Lakers in a previous Finals game against the Orlando Magic in 2009.
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart reacts after making a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second quarter of Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on May 21, 2026. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
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The Lakers didn’t end up sweeping Orlando, but they did wrap up the series in five games.
The Spurs, meanwhile, hope to make this streak much longer than the Magic did 17 years ago. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs tip off against the Knicks at 8:30 PM ET on Monday night.
