Is Donald Trump at the NBA Finals? Live updates on president's Knicks vs. Spurs Game 3 appearance

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Is Donald Trump at the NBA Finals? Live updates on president's Knicks vs. Spurs Game 3 appearance originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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After the Knicks won the first two games of the NBA Finals in San Antonio, all eyes are on Madison Square Garden for Game 3. 

The real action will be on the court, where the Knicks are hoping to build a series lead that has never been overcome in NBA history, but the scene will be ideal for celebrity watching. The stars will be out, and it doesn't just stop at celebrity row. 

U.S. president Donald Trump said he plans to attend Game 3, in what would be his first NBA game since he entered politics in 2015. A fairly common sight at Knicks games from the 1990s into the early 2010s, Trump would bring plenty of attention — and extra security measures — with him at MSG this time around.

The Sporting News is tracking live updates on Trump's whereabouts for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday. See the latest below.

MORE:Is Donald Trump really a Knicks fan?

Is Donald Trump at the NBA Finals?

Check back for live updates leading up to Game 3.

Trump said he will attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night. The president spent the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey and is already in the area; his official schedule says he will head back to Washington D.C. after the game.

When asked whether he would be at the game, Trump told reporters he accepted an invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan. "The answer is yes. He’s invited me, I’m going," Trump said.

The Knicks are preparing accordingly, as they released instructions to fans who will be dealing with enhanced security on Monday.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters he was "thrilled" Trump planned to attend his first Knicks game since 2014.

"Donald Trump, before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan," Silver said, noting that he saw Trump at games and even the NBA Draft before entering politics.

"We can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart,” Silver said. "We’re seeing that in New York and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker, and I’m thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knick team."

Here's what you need to know about Trump's Knicks fandom.

MORE:How NBA Finals games at MSG compare to most expensive sporting events

Why is Donald Trump at the NBA Finals?

Trump has been a frequent attendee of major sporting events during his second term, from Super Bowl 59 to the College Football Playoff championship game this past January, but he actually is a Knicks fan.

A native New Yorker, Trump was pictured attending at least 14 Knicks games from 1991-2014 and also attended other NBA events, including the 2003 NBA Draft and the clinching game of the 2002 NBA Finals between the Lakers and Nets. 

These days, Trump seems to be a bit busier but still said he found time to watch most of the Knicks' Game 1 win over the Spurs. He told reporters aboard Air Force One that he thinks Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are "fantastic" and said the Knicks "have a great team."

It might not be like the old days, when Trump was able to sit on celebrity row, but this won't be his first time experiencing the playoffs at Madison Square Garden.

MORE:Donald Trump addresses sky-high NBA Finals ticket prices

Who is watching with Donald Trump?

This section will be updated.

Trump's guests for Game 3 of the NBA Finals aren't clear, but he was invited by Knicks owner James Dolan and could be sitting with the fellow billionaire.

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani also confirmed he will be at Game 3, but Mamdani said last Thursday that he will be "in a very different section."

Donald Trump NBA Finals restrictions

Trump's presence at Monday night's game would spell an end to some of the privileges Knicks fans have enjoyed during the postseason. For starters, the Game 3 watch party — initially scheduled to take place outside of Madison Square Garden — will instead be moved to Bryant Park in Midtown. The event will have a maximum capacity of 5,000. It will be free and open to the public, although registration is required.

“From every borough and every neighborhood, this city has come together to cheer on the Knicks and share in a moment that belongs to all of us," Mamdani said. "That’s why we’re adding Bryant Park as an additional watch party location, so even more fans can be part of this incredible Knicks Finals run.”

Bryant Park is one of three public venues slated to host watch parties for tonight's game, alongside Central Park and Brooklyn Bowl.

At MSG, fencing has been placed around the venue's premises in an apparent effort to prepare the site to host Trump.

The NYPD is taking extra precautions to secure the area, which includes closing down the immediate streets to both pedestrians and cars unless they have a ticket for the game.

Even the players had to be heavily screened, which De'Aaron Fox believes is too much of an inconvenience for the game.

Has a sitting president ever attended the NBA Finals?

Trump will become the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game. While the presidency has a long history with sporting events dating back to Ronald Reagan — throwing out first pitches, attending the Olympics and even the Super Bowl — but the NBA Finals has remained elusive.

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