Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden was a big night for New York Knicks fans, as it was the first time the Finals were back at MSG since 1999.
The Knicks entered the game with a 2-0 lead, and President Donald Trump was in attendance, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to watch an NBA Finals game in person. Because of such a massive hype, the cheapest seats were around $9,130, while the best courtside seats cost over $109,000.
After adding in service and processing fees, the average fan paid about $12,000 just to get a seat. However, the San Antonio Spurs spoiled the party. They won 115-111 on the road, snapping New York's 13-game postseason winning streak.
The irony? Home crowd literally spent a fortune only to watch their team lose, prompting Colin Cowherd to mock fans for paying $12,000 just to go home disappointed.
The veteran sports media personality and host of Fox Sports' The Herd didn't waste any time taking a shot at the hype surrounding Game 3. On his X handle, Cowherd wrote, "Spending $12,000 a ticket to watch your team lose — doesn't sound nearly as legendary."
Spending $12,000 a ticket to watch your team lose — doesn’t sound nearly as legendary.
— Colin Cowherd (@colincowherd) June 9, 2026
Even Knicks guard Josh Hart had flagged the prices before the game, calling the cheapest seat being "$7,000, $8,000, that's ridiculous."
Cowherd was right on the math. The night had every ingredient to be legendary, such as first Finals at MSG in 27 years, a presidential visit, and a packed house paying Super Bowl prices. But the Spurs ruined all of it in four quarters.
But the Spurs ruined all of it in four quarters. Victor Wembanyama kept their Finals hopes alive by dropping 32 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. San Antonio also capitalized on New York's mistakes, outscoring the Knicks 21 to 7 in points off turnovers while committing only eight giveaways themselves. Stephon Castle added 23 points to help the Spurs secure the must-needed road victory.
The most expensive ticket in Knicks Finals history bought fans nothing but a series that is now very much alive at 2-1. That stings no matter how you spin it.
More NBA news: