NEW YORK – A lifelong San Antonio Spurs fan shared his experience cheering on the Silver and Black in New York City during the NBA Finals — and it wasn’t always comfortable.
Rick Rosales, a San Antonio resident, traveled to New York City to attend Monday night’s Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
Rosales said he witnessed firsthand the reaction from New York Knicks fans outside Madison Square Garden following the Spurs’ win in Game 3.
“All for being passionate — I’m passionate about the Spurs,“ Rosales said. ”But it’s a game at the end of the day."
The atmosphere, Rosales said, quickly turned hostile.
“It crosses the line when they are literally forcing people to take off their jerseys, tearing them apart and beating them up,” Rosales said.
Rosales, who typically wears his Victor Wembanyama jersey to away games, made the decision to dress more neutrally this time. He said he had seen videos of fan confrontations circulating online. Rosales noted the behavior wasn’t limited to Spurs fans.
“I’ve seen the videos; they are viral,” Rosales said. “These Knicks fans are not just doing it to the Spurs fans; they did it to Atlanta Hawks fans.”
Rosales shared photos from his time at MSG showing he wore a neutral NBA Finals shirt and a Spurs cap, but removed the cap after the game as tensions rose.
“Looked up at what was happening, sensed what was happening, and I took my hat off and put it in my plastic bag,” Rosales said.
Even dressed down, Rosales said he felt uneasy moments outside the arena.
“They would see the shirt, and they see Finals and the Knicks, and they didn’t do anything,” Rosales said.
Despite the chaos, Rosales said he plans to attend Game 4 and will continue cheering on the Spurs with a more cautious eye on his surroundings.
“I’m very thankful and blessed I was able to get a ticket,” Rosales said.
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