The New York Knicks take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the NBA Finals tonight, and there is a very real possibility that the Knicks will head into the weekend up 2-0 in the series as they prepare to play their first Finals home game since 1999 on Monday. Can you imagine how good the vibes in New York City would be? Is it even possible to comprehend how electric the crowd inside and out of Madison Square Garden would get in this situation? You might argue, in fact, that nothing could possibly ruin a time as good as that.
OK, well, now imagine if a half-alive racist who everyone hates decided to show up and make the whole night about himself. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Donald Trump is planning to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals, at the invitation of Knicks owner James Dolan. This will afford fans in the arena and at home a rare opportunity to watch Trump make some of the faces he makes, and also to think about him. Aren't you excited?
It's obviously difficult to keep Trump away from any place where he thinks he might get attention, and Dolan has surely been pulling whatever strings he can to make this visit happen. (Dolan inviting Trump to MSG while maintaining his feud with Charles Oakley despite everyone in the world begging him to just be an adult for once is a pretty good representation of his character and priorities.) That's just James Dolan being James Dolan at some point, but you'd hope the league itself might try to resist letting Trump smear shit on what should be one of the most joyous occasions of the season. NBA commissioner Adam Silver couldn't even offer up icy indifference when asked about Trump's planned attendance, though, choosing instead to harp on his bonafides. From ESPN:
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday that Trump would be "welcome" to attend Monday's Game 3, which has fueled record ticket prices and extraordinary interest in New York City as the Knicks seek their first championship since 1973.
"President Trump is very much a New Yorker," Silver said. "I'm thrilled another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knicks team."
There is a potential silver lining here. Perhaps Dolan and Silver's attitudes will make Trump feel welcome enough to occupy a floor seat. One can only hope he does, and that at some point a loose ball heads in his direction, with OG Anunoby in hot pursuit.
