The New York Knicks will host 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. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
A strict no-bag policy, a security zone spanning 10 square city blocks and airport-style screening will greet fans for President Donald Trump's arrival at the pivotal game.
The Knicks, appearing in their first Finals since 1999, hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. They need to win just two more games to win the national championship for the first time since 1973.
Resident Sol, 31, told the BBC: "I can't say I've ever seen anything like this before because in 1999 I was 4 years old. I'm just trying to soak it all in." He said people in the streets have been screaming "go New York, go New York go".
With the cheapest online resale tickets currently going for more than $10,000, many fans watch at bars. Pharmacy technician Bryan Placios, 28, said: "We're drinking, we're partying, it's just nonstop."
Skyscrapers like the Empire State Building and One World Trade Center are lit orange and blue. A subway station got a Knicks-themed makeover, and library lions hold inflatable basketballs.
Trump's expected appearance marks the first time a sitting president has attended an NBA Finals game. Security is tightened with thousands of NYPD officers and hundreds of Secret Service agents. The watch party outside MSG was cancelled.
Trump said of ticket prices: "That's the way life goes. It's sort of semi-free to watch it on television." Placios called Trump's presence "narcissistic" and "irresponsible".