Knicks fans, celebrities take over Cleveland's arena, NYC streets in celebration of trip to NBA Finals; Mayor Mamdani weighs in

May 26, 2026 - 03:29

New York Knicks fans transformed Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland into a sea of blue and orange on Sunday night, drowning out the home crowd as their team punched a ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The raucous takeover extended well beyond the arena, with celebrations spilling onto the streets of Manhattan and throughout the five boroughs well into the early morning hours.

The victory triggered an immediate outpouring of joy from both everyday fans and a constellation of celebrity supporters seated courtside. Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, and Chris Rock were among those captured on camera, arms raised in triumph as the final buzzer sounded. The scene in Cleveland was so dominated by Knicks faithful that social media clips showed sections of the arena chanting "Let's Go Knicks" over the arena's public address system.

Back in New York, traffic came to a standstill near Madison Square Garden as fans danced on car hoods and waved banners. Mayor Eric Adams, who watched the game from a watch party in the city, weighed in on the historic moment. "This is what New York energy looks like," Adams said in a statement. "The Knicks brought it home, and the city is feeling that championship fever. We are ready for the next round."

The Knicks now await their opponent in the Finals, with the series set to tip off later this week. For a franchise that has endured decades of near-misses and rebuilding, the return to the league's biggest stage has ignited a level of civic pride not seen in a generation.