Around 6,500 fans packed the plaza outside Madison Square Garden to watch the Knicks clinch Game 2 of the NBA finals. As the team celebrated its 13th straight playoff win, revelers climbed light poles, blocked traffic and one attacker punched a police officer in the face. The NYPD deployed over 1,000 officers to contain the scene.

The department reported 26 people taken into custody, with 17 arrests and nine issued summonses for disorderly conduct. Several individuals resisted police orders, and a female officer suffered a facial punch and later a bite from the same assailant. Earlier incidents this week saw similar disturbances, prompting the city to reverse an initial ban on outdoor watch parties.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani defended the festivities, citing the historic Knicks run, while Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch warned against violence toward officers. The clash highlights tension between civic enthusiasm and public‑order concerns as the finals move to New York for the next two games.