Knicks fans celebrated their first NBA championship in 53 years on Saturday by declaring victory over an unlikely opponent: the “Trump curse.”
Moments after the New York Knicks completed a dramatic comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 and clinched the NBA title, social media filled with speculation that the supposed curse hanging over the team had finally been broken.
“The Trump Curse is broken!!!” one fan wrote on X.
“The only Finals game the Knicks lost was the one with Trump in attendance. lol,” another posted.
“I gather The Curse of Trump has been completely lifted?” one fan commented.
“Congrats to the Knicks for overcoming the Trump curse!” another said.
The theory emerged after the president attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
After being met with rude gestures and critical signs outside the arena, Trump was loudly booed during the national anthem and later appeared to fall asleep during the game.
The Knicks then suffered their first playoff loss since April, falling 115-111 to San Antonio and snapping a 13-game winning streak.
Trump later disputed reports of a hostile reception, telling reporters he believed the crowd reaction was “mostly cheers.”
Any lingering superstition vanished Saturday night as the Knicks rallied late to clinch the franchise’s first championship since 1973.
The victory sparked scenes of jubilation across New York City.
Thousands of fans packed watch parties outside Madison Square Garden, at Radio City Music Hall, and in Central Park as the city erupted in celebration.
Crowds flooded the streets around the Garden as news of the victory spread, with fans chanting players’ names.
Even New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined the celebrations.
“HISTORY,” he wrote on X shortly after the final buzzer before following up with another post, “Parade. Thursday. Manhattan.”
But not all of the celebrations were orderly.
Videos shared online showed fans climbing onto and damaging an NYPD vehicle outside Madison Square Garden after the game. Other footage captured officers wrestling an unruly fan to the ground while pushing back crowds gathered near the arena.
The incidents came as police maintained a heightened presence around the city amid concerns that championship celebrations could spill into disorder.
Any talk of a Trump curse, however, appeared to be lost on the president himself.
Following the victory, Trump congratulated Knicks owner James Dolan and praised what he called one of the greatest playoff runs in basketball history.
“Congratulations to Jim Dolan and the New York Knicks!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, describing the team’s recent playoff victories as “maybe the greatest in the history of basketball.”
