Video shows Jose Alvarado landing in Michael Bloomberg's lap during NBA Finals Game 3
THAT'S MAYOR BLOOMBERG@derekjeter a couple seats down and @DaveChappelle talking his shit 😂😂 #PMSFinals pic.twitter.com/Y1rMVelvHu
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 9, 2026
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The odds of an NBA player crashing into a courtside spectator during the high-stakes Finals may be slim, but as Michael Bloomberg learned, they are never quite zero.
The 84-year-old former New York City mayor was caught in the crossfire as Knicks guard Jose Alvarado tumbled into him during Monday night's Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
A player just landed on the founder of the Bloomberg Terminal, Mike Bloomberg… pic.twitter.com/rK6ZaNtWGy
— ₕₐₘₚₜₒₙ (@hamptonism) June 9, 2026
Jose Alvarado tumbles into Michael Bloomberg courtside
The incident took place early in the fourth quarter with the Knicks trailing the San Antonio Spurs.
Bloomberg was taking in the Finals from the star-studded celebrity row, surrounded by familiar Knicks superfans and New York icons, including Ben Stiller, Timothee Chalamet, Derek Jeter, and Eli Manning.
After Mikal Bridges deflected the ball toward the boundary, Alvarado launched himself in pursuit, diving into the courtside seats and ending up squarely in the former mayor's lap.
As Alvarado regained his balance, the 6-foot, 179-pound point guard put his arms around Bloomberg and patted him on the chest, seemingly asking whether he was OK after being knocked over.
Bloomberg, who is 5-foot-7 and weighs around 165 pounds, briefly reached for his face before giving a thumbs up.
The former mayor, who was sitting just two seats away from Yankees legend Derek Jeter, appeared to be fine and did not require medical attention.
Was Dave Chappelle laughing at Michael Bloomberg for getting run over by Jose Alvarado? pic.twitter.com/qEeAx44eM0
— DNP Sports (@notthefakeDNP) June 9, 2026
Trump's NBA Finals appearance boosts security
The star-studded crowd also included New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, legendary Knicks supporters Spike Lee and Ben Stiller, actor Timothee Chalamet, and 'Law & Order' stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni.
Another layer of excitement was added to the game when President Donald Trump arrived. He made history with his appearance, becoming the first sitting US president to attend an NBA Finals game.
However, his visit brought presidential-level security to Madison Square Garden. In addition to TSA-style screening and road closures from West 30th to West 35th Streets between Sixth and Eighth Avenues, fans encountered a heavily fortified security perimeter around the arena ahead of Trump's arrival.
Unlike previous Knicks playoff games, the watch parties outside MSG were also canceled by the NYPD as Trump's attendance prompted an extensive security operation.
The heightened measures were felt throughout the day. Arena employees arriving hours before tipoff encountered perimeter fencing surrounding the venue and lengthy entry lines, with some reports indicating staff waited nearly an hour to enter the building as early as 9:25 am.
San Antonio Spurs All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox also complained about the extra security procedures around the Garden, saying, "I think the president being here just makes it inconvenient for everybody else."
"We've got more, obviously more security. We've got to send stuff early, I think our buses are a little earlier,” he added.
