US President Donald Trump to Attend Game 3 of NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden

US President Donald Trump is determined not to leave his hometown team, the New York Knicks, alone on their path to the championship. Speaking to members of the press in the Oval Office at the White House, Trump announced that at the invitation of Knicks owner James Dolan, he will attend at least one of the NBA Finals games to be played at Madison Square Garden next week.

Making no secret of being a huge fan of the Knicks and club owner Dolan, Trump stated that he has his eyes on Game 3 of the series to be played on Monday, but could also attend Game 4 on Wednesday, saying, "Maybe I'll go to both." This move could also go down in NBA history; league officials state that if Trump attends, it will be the first time a sitting US president watches the NBA Finals live in the arena.

Despite foreign policy developments, political friction with Congress, and the intensity of the upcoming midterm elections, Trump said he does not compromise on his passion for basketball, noting that he closely followed the first game in which the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Expressing that he missed parts of the match due to phone calls with military generals, Trump mentioned he was able to watch the final stretch and that the New York team put on a "dominant and wonderful" performance on the court.

Trump also touched upon the Spurs' 2.24-meter giant center Victor Wembanyama, drawing attention to the difficulty of defending him: "I say to myself, how do you defend this guy? He's 7-foot-4 and has a great shooting ability, right? But the Knicks somehow did it. They are truly tremendous."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reminded everyone that Trump has been a hardcore Knicks fan since the past, even before starting his political career. Acknowledging that Trump's attendance will require very strict security measures in and around Madison Square Garden, which could prolong transit times for fans, Silver nevertheless argued that this would greatly contribute to the grandeur of the event. Emphasizing the unifying power of sports in contrast to the polarizing climate of politics, Silver stated, "We can focus on our common ground, not what divides us. I am pleased that President Trump, as a New Yorker, wants to share in this excitement."

Image: The New Yorker