A lip reader has revealed that Donald Trump was considering returning to New York to present the Knicks with the NBA championship trophy if they clinched victory this week.
The President brought Manhattan to a halt by attending Game 3 of the Knicks against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, one of the biggest sporting nights in the history of the Big Apple.
The Spurs spoiled the party, however, winning the game 115-111 and leaving the series poised at 2-1 ahead of Game 4 on Wednesday night. If the Knicks had won, then another victory on Wednesday would have secured them the title.
And it appears that the President was eyeing up a dramatic return to his home city if the Knicks were on the brink of glory. He may also have even been tempted to try and force his way onto the court.
Forensic lip-reading expert NJ Hickling reviewed footage of Trump talking to James Dolan, the owner of Madison Square Garden, who invited him along to the big game and sat alongside him.
The pair began by discussing an unknown person whom Dolan seemingly has an issue with before Trump suggested he could smooth things over if he returned for Game 4.
Donald Trump discussed a return to the next Knicks game with Madison Square Garden boss James Dolan, center, at last night’s NBA Final, according to a lip reader. Right, the President’s granddaughter, Kai Trump
Trump even spoke about potentially handing the championship trophy to the winning team later this week, as the Knicks battle it out against the San Antonio Spurs
‘Why wouldn’t you accept our friendship, he’s loyal,’ Trump tells Dolan, who responds: ‘I’m pi***d off at his name.’
Trump, waving his hand in disagreement, replies: ‘Oh, that’s not it. Let me bring him next time, you have got it so wrong with him.
‘I can bring him back to you, with confidence. I’m not just saying that, unless you want to put the feeler out.’
Dolan tells Trump ‘anything for you’ before the President then turns his attention to a potential return later in the week.
‘If you want me to come to the game on Wednesday, then he’s gotta be here,’ Trump says, with his granddaughter Kai sitting on the other side of Dolan and glancing at the two in discussion.
‘You gotta remember, I gotta pull with this. Maybe I could do the trophy, the trophy. This should be gold, don’t say no today. I’ll bet you a round of golf.’
With the Spurs beating the Knicks, though, it means that the series will go to a fifth game – at least – which will be held in San Antonio on Saturday night.
The best-of-seven series will then go back to New York for Game 6, if needed, next Tuesday. It wouldn’t be a huge shock if Trump were tempted to return to Manhattan if the Knicks are on the cusp of becoming champions.
Trump was in discussion with Dolan, who invited him to the game, all night
Trump was joined by his 19-year-old granddaughter Kai for the game in New York
But if the series is not decided by then, they will travel back to San Antonio for a Game 7 decider back in Texas on Friday, June 19.
Trump’s talk of presenting the Knicks with the trophy might not seem entirely fanciful. The NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, said on ESPN before Game 3 that he considered Trump a welcome guest at MSG.
‘I found out [Trump was going] because Jim Dolan invited him to the game and he said yes,’ Silver said. ‘He is welcome to be here.
‘What I will say about President Trump is that he was a fixture at the NBA, Madison Square Garden [in the past]. A genuine Knicks fan.
‘Yes, some inconvenience to fans but if you look around the arena, it is getting packed. People listened and got here early. We should be using sports to create more of a sense of community.’
The New York Police Department and Secret Service established a multiblock security perimeter around MSG and, controversially, canceled the hugely popular watch parties outside of the venue.
But San Antonio Spurs spoiled the party with a 115-111 win, meaning the series goes to Game 5
Jalen Brunson and the Knicks will return to action at MSG in Game 4 on Wednesday night
Knicks fans had to wait hours due to the security in place to accomodate Trump’s arrival
The NYPD even shut down every sidewalk and street from West 30th Street to West 35th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue in a move halting all pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Lines to get in were starting at least four blocks away from MSG, while metal detectors were set up 200 feet away from the venue that every fan would have to pass through, with the Secret Service watching on.
Knicks fans won’t be in a hurry to go through all that again. But if Trump wants to be in the building, there’s not much they can do about it – aside from boo.
And that they did when Trump was shown on the jumbotron inside the arena while the national anthem was being performed. Those boos quickly became cheers when cameras switched to Knicks star Jalen Brunson.
