Josh Hart understands why Madison Square Garden will feel historic on Monday, but he knows Knicks fans have been priced out of the room.
Game 3 is the Knicks’ first home NBA Finals game since 1999, and their first at MSG with a series lead since the 1973 title run.
That demand was coming, but it has made the gap between the city and the building impossible to ignore.
Josh Hart puts Knicks ticket prices in focus
In a pre-game press conference, Josh Hart said the Knicks’ long-awaited Finals return should not be this hard for fans to see.
“I kind of wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are. I feel like a lot of people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time, unfortunately, aren’t able to get into the building. The cheapest ticket $7K, $8,000. That’s ridiculous.”
Hart’s number matched the public mood around Game 3. Current get-in checks ranged from about $4,750 before fees on TickPick to roughly $5,335 on Ticketmaster, while Vivid Seats, StubHub and SeatGeek sat near $8,800, $9,100 and $9,872.
Game 3 turns Knicks hype into a citywide squeeze
The scene around MSG is expected to feel like a championship reunion, with Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Morgan, and Fat Joe among familiar Knicks faces near the floor.
Yet fans locked outside lost another outlet when the planned MSG outdoor watch party was canceled due to heightened NYPD and Secret Service security around Donald Trump’s expected attendance.
That cuts into the public feel of a night New York waited decades to host. The Knicks are up 2-0, two wins from their first championship since 1973, and the Garden has not held a Finals game in 27 years.
Josh Hart remains the Knicks’ hustle engine
Hart’s complaint lands because his own value is built on the same fan-first energy. He averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in the regular season, then shaped games without needing the ball.
Across the playoffs, he has averaged 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. In Game 1 of the Finals, he scored three points but added 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and a team-best plus-22.
That is Hart’s place in this Knicks run. He does the work that makes MSG roar, even if too many fans can no longer afford the seats.
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