Police arrested 21 people late Monday as thousands of Knicks fans filled the streets of Midtown following the team's first loss of the NBA Finals.
Many of the arrests were made in the blocks surrounding a watch party at Bryant Park as fights broke out and some fans clashed with police trying to clear a stretch of 42nd Street, authorities said early Tuesday.
A police spokesperson said five police officers were injured as parts of the crowd became "rowdy, violent and destructive," climbing on top of scaffolding, light poles and police cars, throwing glass objects, and ripping bus signs and trees out of the ground.
Eight people were charged with offenses including assaulting a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing and resisting arrest, and 13 were released with criminal court summonses.
The 115-111 loss cut the Knicks' lead in the NBA Finals to 2-1, with Game 4 set for Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. The first home game of the series, and the franchise's first Finals appearance since 1999, turned Midtown into a patchwork of impromptu watch parties, street gatherings and police-controlled crowds after security restrictions tied to President Donald Trump’s visit reshaped the area surrounding the arena.
As the final minutes of Game 3 ticked away, police maintained a heavy presence around the arena and nearby streets while fans lingered, many appearing unwilling to head home. After the loss, large crowds gathered along Eighth Avenue and nearby blocks, with fans filling intersections, stopping traffic and moving in large groups.
Fans fight outside of a watch party at Bryant Park for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
A Gothamist reporter witnessed hundreds of people chase a social media streamer wearing Spurs gear through Midtown after the game had ended before cornering him near West 36th Street. Members of the crowd tore off his jersey before he escaped into a nearby building.
The crowd then filled the surrounding streets, slapping vehicles and surrounding cars caught in traffic. Video posted to social media also appeared to show fights breaking out at the watch party in Bryant Park.
NYPD officers form a line near Bryant Park as crowds gather after Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.
In a statement soon after the game, City Councilmember Justin E. Sanchez said footage showing officers managing crowds around the game appeared overly aggressive.
"There are ways to manage crowds that limit risks and remove bad actors and also allow fans to have fun," Sanchez said. “We’ve got more games ahead of us and hopefully a lot more to celebrate, too. Just like the Knicks, we need to debrief, reassess and plan how we can do better for the next game.”
Fans crowd around a television set up on a Midtown sidewalk to watch Game 3 of the NBA Finals outside Madison Square Garden.
The scene capped a day of disruptions tied to Trump’s visit to the Garden. Security restrictions around the arena forced authorities to cancel the traditional watch party outside the arena, limiting access to nearby blocks and pushing fans into bars, side streets and improvised gatherings throughout the neighborhood.
By halftime, West 35th Street had effectively become what one fan described as "20 watch parties" packed onto a single block. Fans crowded outside bars to watch games through windows and from rooftop televisions. Others gathered on sidewalks and corners, watching on phones while police stepped in periodically to move people along.
Earlier in the evening, officers cleared groups gathered near Eighth Avenue, pushing fans toward sidewalks as crowds swelled. Some people shouted at officers as they were moved. At one point, police acknowledged to a Gothamist reporter that they would struggle to clear the growing number of people congregating around the Garden.
Knicks fans fill the street after Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.
Fans roamed between gathering spots, chanting, drinking and searching for places to watch the game.
Brandon Rivera said he and his friends ended up watching from outside a bar after being shut out of Bryant Park.
"I think being around the atmosphere matters more," Rivera said. "The vibes and the energy to the game, like the fans, is what makes the game fun.”
Mario Briggs sells homemade "nutcrackers" outside Madison Square Garden during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Others embraced the chaos. Mario Briggs sold homemade alcoholic drinks known as "nutcrackers" to fans gathering near the Garden.
"Ain't nothing like New York energy, feeling the people around you," Briggs said. "Everybody come together at one point in time."
Brittany Kriegstein contributed reporting.
This story has been updated with new information.
