When the video board at Madison Square Garden showed President Trump during the national anthem before the Knicks took on the San Antonio Spurs in the N.B.A. finals, the arena burst into loud and raucous boos.
Mr. Trump saluted as he stood in a suite next to James Dolan, the owner of the Knicks. He smiled as he heard the noise.
Mr. Trump is the first sitting president to attend an N.B.A. finals game. Former President Barack Obama attended Game 2 of the finals in Toronto in 2019.
With a sitting president in attendance, security protocols were dramatically different from what they would be for a normal finals game. Fans were urged to arrive two hours before the game, and many waited more than an hour to get inside.
The president had originally planned to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, but the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games in the best-of-seven series.
They lead this series, two games to none, after beating the Spurs twice in San Antonio.
The Knicks are in the N.B.A. finals for the first time since 1999, when they lost to the Spurs. The Knicks have won their past 13 games. Their last championship came in 1973.
Tania Ganguli writes about money, power and influence in sports and how it impacts the broader culture.
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