NBA finals watch party goes haywire after fans clash with police at Bryant Park | WATCH VIDEO
Chaos erupted in NYC during an NBA Finals watch party where fans gathered to watch the New York Knicks in Game 3 action against the San Antonio Spurs. The rowdy scenes led to the NYPD stepping in to do damage control, with riot police also having to be deployed to diffuse the situation.
The incident took place outside Bryant Park, where the finals were being shown on giant screens for the fans. People started throwing hands as disorder broke out before the match could finish.
NYPD use pepper spray for crowd control
According to the New York Post, a fan threw a bottle at an officer as the watch party turned into a mass brawl, with a person throwing punches at another as the fight escalated, with people gathering to watch the ones involved.
🚨 JUST NOW: NYPD deploys PEPPER SPRAY as a Knicks watch party turns into a MASS BRAWL in NYC’s Bryant Park, as Knicks trail Spurs
THIS BS is why Secret Service wouldn’t let them near Trump at MSG
Good call, Secret Service!
🎥 @FreedomNTV pic.twitter.com/CNVA1U32TM
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 9, 2026
Some fans were seen swinging tree branches and climbing above parked vehicles & police cars, and also damaged public property as the situation descended into madness. Some of them even targeted a Spurs fan as a mob chased him on a street.
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The NYPD deployed officers in riot gear to restore order and used pepper spray to disperse unruly fans. Several arrests followed, including one for assaulting an officer and six others for disorderly conduct.
Spurs defeat Knicks in NBA Finals Game 3Â
Victor Wembanyama delivered an impactful performance during the NBA Finals’ return to Madison Square Garden for the first time in 27 years as the Spurs defeated the Knicks 115-111 on Monday night. Wemby finished with 32 points, six assists and eight rebounds as the Spurs brought some spark to the Finals by taking the score 1-2.
The Garden had an electric atmosphere for game three, with major celebrities and political figures in attendance. US President Donald Trump also attended the game and was vociferously booed whenever shown on screens during the national anthem.