How Do Spurs Handle Hostile Playoff Environments? By ‘Staying Together’

NEW YORK — For as many firsts as the San Antonio Spurs have experienced this season, walking out of the Ritz-Carlton in Manhattan to jeering fans was not on their list.

Certainly not for Spurs rookie Dylan Harper, who grew up not far away in New Jersey.

"It (was) my first time in New York walking out and getting booed," Harper said during the Spurs' film day after Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. "I can say that ... (but) I don't think that it would feel the same if it wasn't this hostile."

The rookie spoke on playing at Madison Square Garden in the NBA Finals — the city's first championship series action since 1999 — after the Spurs made their trip to the East Coast following Games 1 and 2 of The Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

Even Julian Champagnie, who grew up in Brooklyn, found himself a little starstruck. He'd played at Madison Square Garden before, but never with as high of stakes.

"The initial reaction of just running out there," Champagnie said, "seeing all the celebrities, the fans, how loud it was, the music, it was definitely a surreal feeling that I'll carry for life."

After a seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, the Spurs felt up to the task of a rowdy Knicks home crowd. They even welcomed the noise.

"We just stay together in environments like this," Harper said. "The biggest thing, when we come to away games in the playoffs ... it's been holding each other accountable."

Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) dunks the ball as New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) defends during Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Like its first two games against New York, San Antonio got out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter with a goal of making it stick. With under a minute left in the fourth quarter, a dagger by De'Aaron Fox and a pair of free throws by Stephon Castle iced the contest.

Suddenly, a crowd which had hurled expletives at Victor Wembanyama fell silent. The Spurs took Game 3 115-111 to cut the Knicks' series lead to 2-1.

"At home," Wembanyama said, "(there's) extra motivation because you want to give the people who support you a good show. On the road, you want to do the opposite."

Ahead of Game 4, the Spurs are expecting another crowd ready to play sixth man for their hosts. As Harper put it, they'll have to meet that passion with desperation.

And perhaps a little bit of villainy. The type Madison Square Garden has seen before.

Asked about whether he takes jeers and boos from New Yorkers as "the ultimate compliement," Wembanyama smiled. He seemed to recall where he'd heard it before.

"I guess," he conceded. "I'm nowhere near Trae Young level, though."

Spurs, Knicks Condemn Fan Violence

Wembanyama didn't hear the news until a reporter told him Tuesday afternoon.

Amid a historic NBA Finals series between two franchises who have been waiting for over a decade — nearly three, for the Knicks — to reclaim basketball glory, misguided passion by Knicks fans has materialized in the form of assault on opposing Spurs fans.

Videos circulating X, formerly Twitter have shown several instances of Spurs fans having their jerseys torn off by Knicks fans. Some have been shown running through the streets away from congregations of Knicks fans, while others have sought out police for protection.

Players on both the Spurs and Knicks, several of whom spoke on Tuesday, condemed the violent acts while preaching the importance of human respect.

"I’m all for passion," Wembanyama said, "but we need to respect each other. Unacceptable.”

Added Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns: “Leave the physicality to everyone on the court."

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) speaks with the media after the game between the Spurs and the Knicks in game — Jun 5, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) speaks with the media after the game between the Spurs and the Knicks in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Heightened security measures have been in place for both Finals games in New York with the goal of promoting safety for all ticketed fans, but the same restrictions have not extended beyond tipoff, including during the aftermath of city-sanctioned watch parties.

After Game 3, 21 arrests were made by the New York Police Department near Bryant Park following a watch party; five officers were reportedly injured in various altercations.

The two buzz words between all players who spoke on the matter? Human and respect.

“As a human, I don’t want to see anyone get hurt over the game of basketball," Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said. "We don't want to sacrifice safety over the game ... that we love."

Rookie forward Carter Bryant echoed that sentiment.

"We’re all humans," he said. "We need to support each other ... we need to be aware of what is going on. Life is so much bigger than the game of basketball."

The Spurs and Knicks are focused on winning enough games to secure a championship for their franchise, but they hope fans will broker peace until that happens.

"For the fans, it should never be that serious (to) where you have to jump people, beat people up, follow people home — stuff like that," Spurs forward Julian Champagnie said. "It's just a basketball game ... whether we win, they win, it doesn't really matter. Everybody should be able to come and enjoy the game, no matter who they're rooting for."

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