Donald Trump Brutally Booed at NBA Finals in New York City

The crowd at Madison Square Garden loudly booed President Donald Trump on Monday, June 8, as the New York Knicks lost 115-111 to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

The intense jeering began during the national anthem when Trump — the first sitting U.S. president ever to attend an NBA Finals game — was shown on the arena's Jumbotron in a luxury suite alongside Knicks owner James Dolan.

The POTUS was accompanied by son-in-law Jared Kushner and granddaughter Kai Trump, as well as Cabinet officials, including EPA Administrator and New Yorker Lee Zeldin and former reality star turned Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

Other Cabinet officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, were seen in the stands.

“You have the most likable New York sports team in decades — and you decide to bring Trump, Lutnick, [Robert] Kraft, and half the Epstein files into it. Glad Dolan reminded us all why he was known as the worst owner in sports. It’s on us now to transcend it,” noted author Sam Koppelman.

Dolan is a longtime, card-carrying member of Trump’s Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago country club and held his wedding ceremony there in 2002. Following in his footsteps, his son Charles Dolan also hosted his wedding there in 2017.

Dolan told ESPN that he supports Trump as a personal friend and that one need not agree with everything a political figure does to remain supportive.

While the initial appearance brought a brief mix of chants, the crowd overwhelmingly shifted to heavy boos until the broadcast cut away to Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

Trump was booed heavily at public watch parties, most notably at a massive outdoor fan gathering in Manhattan’s Bryant Park.

Cameras also caught the soporific senior president with his eyes closed for part of the high-stakes game.

Frustrated ticket-holders had also faced wait times stretching over two hours outside the venue due to stringent presidential security measures.

Following the game, Trump downplayed the reception to reporters, claiming it was "mostly cheers" and "very enthusiastic."

The Knicks’ loss on the court fractured what had been an immaculate postseason run for New York.

The defeat snapped a historic 13-game playoff winning streak for the Knicks. It marked their very first loss since April 23.

Fans are blaming the 79-year-old president for jinxing the team's momentum.

Before the game on Monday, ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith declared on-air that if the Knicks lost, he would place the responsibility squarely on the president.

When questioned after the game about Smith's comments, Trump dismissed the blame and took a shot at the commentator's intelligence, stating, "I think he’s a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president... I'm not sure that Stephen has that.

When the San Antonio Spurs ultimately defeated the Knicks 115-111, breaking New York's historic 13-game postseason winning streak, fans and media commentators immediately flooded social media to blame Trump for ruining the team's winning rhythm.

The blame also stems from severe logistical disruptions at Madison Square Garden, with the massive, popular fan watch parties normally held right outside the area completely canceled due to Secret Service security sweeps.

Heightened security protocols choked off local traffic, creating massive headaches for Penn Station commuters and forcing ticket-holders to wait in lines for over two hours to enter the building.

Many fans expressed anger that a political circus overshadowed the team's first NBA Finals home game in 27 years.

“To recap the Knicks game, Trump: Inconvenienced everyone. Cost businesses money. Got booed. Fell asleep. Jinxed the Knicks,” said MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski.