The hottest ticket in town is drawing New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the US president and a parade of celebrities, as well as fans teeming with excitement despite escalating security and a cancelled watch party.

The New York Knicks will clash with the San Antonio Spurs for game three of the NBA Finals - the first on their home turf of Madison Square Garden (MSG) - on Monday night.

A strict no-bag policy, a security zone spanning 10 square city blocks and airport-style screening will greet fans, as US President Donald Trump also plans to attend the pivotal game in New York City.

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.

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, the best of seven, to win the national championship for the first time since 1973.

That means the mood across New York City is electric.

"I've been a Knicks fan all my life, I've been waiting for this all my life," said Mike Dallas, a content creator who runs Knicks fan accounts.

"It's gonna be so emotional, it's going to be so enthusiastic. It's going to be phenomenal."

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 got a Knicks-themed makeover, and businesses across New York City's five boroughs are offering meal deals, and orange-and-blue ice-cream and bagels.

On the last two game nights, throngs of supporters donning Knicks gear spilled out of packed New York bars, projecting the game onto the sides of buildings and holding impromptu watch parties.

Thousands took over the streets near the arena - even though their team played its first two games in their opponents' arena in Texas - leading to dozens of arrests as fans climbed lampposts, jumped onto food carts, and blocked traffic.

Many of the team's devoted fans can't afford tickets to the first home game of the series, 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 in the NBA.

"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 accepted an invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan to attend Monday - 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. 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 MSG was cancelled, a decision made in coordination with the Secret Service.

Eight hours before tip-off, a mix of local fans, content creators, and tourists started to gather at the Garden.

"This is our first home game in the final, I feel the energy," said Dallas, who sported a team hat and a custom shirt featuring a Madison Square Garden watch party.

Claire Richter, a 74-year-old fan who lives near the arena, was more blunt: "If they win tonight, city's gonna be crazy."

Raucous fans cannot get too close to the Garden. A tall black security fence now rings the arena and blocks the surrounding street. Yellow construction equipment put concrete barricades into place with jarring bangs.

"I would have preferred the president skipped this and just let it be for the people because it's changed the whole experience now," Richter said.

"Because everything is being blocked off. It's a shame for the kids, for younger people."

Trump himself was not expected at the arena for hours, but an impersonator did the rounds on 33rd Street, taking photos and filming content for members of the Knicks' extremely online fandom.

Not all Knicks fans are fretting about the extra security.

"I think it's fine," said Anamaria Penaflorida, who wore a bright blue matching set in honour of the home team. "All the videos I've seen, everyone is so excited."

For lifelong Knicks fans like Penaflorida, the entire city has become a massive watch party.

"Being close [to the Garden] is not that important," she said. "We're gonna party."

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 there, 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.