Heightened security, a strict no-bag policy and airport-style screening will greet fans, as US President Donald Trump attends a pivotal NBA Finals game on Monday evening in New York City.

The New York Knicks will clash with the San Antonio Spurs for game three of the finals – the first on their home turf of Madison Square Garden (MSG).

The Knicks, appearing in their first finals since 1999, hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, fuelling championship fever across the city.

The hottest ticket in town is drawing Mayor Zohran Mamdani as well as Trump. A parade of celebrities have been spotted at other recent games, including actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller, and filmmaker Spike Lee.

This season has represented a stunning reversal of fortunes for the Knicks after decades as one of the worst teams in the league.

Now with a 2-0 lead in the finals, they need to win just two more games, out of a possible seven, to win the national championship for the first time since 1973.

And the mood across New York City is electric.

From the Empire State Building to One World Trade Center, skyscrapers have been lighting up the city's skyline orange and blue – the Knicks' team colours.

A subway station near Madison Square Garden has been given a Knicks-themed makeover, and businesses across New York City's five boroughs are offering meal deals and special orange-and-blue ice-cream and bagels.

On game nights, throngs of supporters donning Knicks gear have been spilling out of packed bars, projecting the game onto the sides of buildings, and holding impromptu watch parties.

Thousands of fans have taken over the streets near the arena on game nights – even though their team were playing the first two games at their opponents' arena in Texas – leading to dozens of arrests as fans climbed lampposts, jumped onto food carts, and blocked traffic.

But many of the team's devoted fans will not have been able to afford tickets to the first home game of the series on Monday, with the cheapest online resale tickets currently going for more than $10,000 (£7,468) and running up to more than $100,000.

Regular Knicks games already rank among the most expensive NBA tickets in the league.

"That's the way life goes," Trump told reporters on Friday when asked about the extreme ticket prices. "It's sort of semi-free to watch it on television."

The president recently said he had accepted an invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan to attend Monday's fixture – indicating that he might also attend the fourth game on Wednesday.

Trump's expected appearance at the game would mark the first time a sitting president has attended an NBA Finals game, and the first presidential attendance at any NBA game since Barack Obama watched his hometown Chicago Bulls open the 2015 season.

Security at the arena will be significantly tightened for Trump's visit. On Sunday evening, five people people were injured in a stabbing at Penn Station, which lies directly underneath the arena. Officials said one person was seriously injured and a suspect was arrested, describing the incident as a random act of violence.

In a previous statement on security, the Knicks posted on X: "A strict no-bag policy will be in effect, and fans should make effort to limit personal items to an absolute minimum." Fans have been advised to arrive at least two hours before tip-off.

Thousands of New York Police Department (NYPD) officers and hundreds of Secret Service officers are deployed to the event.

On Sunday, the NYPD said that a watch party scheduled for outside the MSG arena had been cancelled because of a decision made in coordination with the Secret Service.

"There will be watch parties at other locations, which are currently being determined," the NYPD said.

At the last game on Friday, 17 people were arrested and an officer was assaulted at a watch party outside MSG.

Trump's anticipated appearance at Monday's game has also sparked speculation about how the crowd may react.

New York City remains a predominantly Democratic stronghold in a heavily Democratic state that has largely opposed the Trump administration.

Mayor Mamdani, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, has said he will be attending the game, but "in a very different section of the stadium" to Trump.

"We look forward to welcoming any New Yorker who is excited for the Knicks to have that chance to win that championship," the mayor added.

A Knicks game is as much a celebrity spectacle as it is a basketball event.

From Hollywood actors and chart-topping musicians to legendary athletes, famous fans regularly pack the stands.

Some A-listers spotted at Knicks games this season include actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller, filmmaker Spike Lee, and reality TV star Kylie Jenner.