Oklahoma City’s two first-round picks in the 2021 NBA draft, Josh Giddey (sixth overall) and Tre Mann (18th overall), were excited to play at Madison Square Garden heading into Monday’s tilt against the Knicks. Their performance showed it.

Giddey had a triple-double and career-high 28 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds, while Mann added a career-best 30 points. Not to mention, the Thunder rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half to beat New York 127-123 in overtime.

A 19-year-old from Australia, Giddey went 11-for-22 from the field and hit three threes for the Thunder, who snapped a five-game slide.

“This was the place I was most excited when I got drafted to come in to play,” said Giddey. “You hear so many things, so many stories about the Garden, and I had circled it on my calendar for a long time.”

Triple-doubles are old hand to Giddey now, it seems: He became the youngest player in NBA history with back-to-back jaunts, as he had 11 points, 10 assists, and 12 rebounds in a losing effort at Chicago on Saturday.

“It was everything I expected,” Giddey said of his first game at MSG. “The fans are awesome. They’re into the game; a packed house. It’s everything I’ve seen on TV, being told about.”

Giddey became the first teenager in NBA history with a triple-double at MSG, and he’s the third player all-time with a triple-double in his MSG debut (Chuck Person, Magic Johnson).

“The style he is playing with is contagious,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I think he has a domino effect on the team with how he plays when he is in that state of mind. I thought he was in against Chicago and I thought he was in it again tonight.”

Julius Randle, too, had a triple-double with 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists for Knicks, who have lost nine of their last 11.

The New York Knicks are currently in a heated first-round playoff battle with the Atlanta Hawks. In a somewhat surprising announcement, the Knicks said that they will only sell tickets to vaccinated fans if the team reaches the second round of the postseason. The team also announced that Game 5 of the current series has already sold out. More than 16,000 fans were in attendance for New York’s first playoff win in almost a decade. The Knicks defeated the Hawks 101-92 to tie the series at 1-1.

More than 90 % of the fans who attended the first two games of the series were fully vaccinated. The fans who were seated in the vaccinated sections were not required to wear masks nor were they required to socially distance. The fully vaccinated sections in Game 1 and Game 2 were completely packed, and the fans made a ton of noise.

“It’s moments like this that show us what’s possible if everyone gets vaccinated — we’ll all be able to get back to doing what we love — and that definitely includes being together to cheer on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden,” MSG Sports executive vice president David Hopkinson said in a statement.

The last time that the Knicks made it to the second round of the NBA playoffs was back in 2013 during the Carmelo Anthony era. The Knicks defeated the Celtics in the first round before being bounced by the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

If the Knicks get past the Hawks in this incredibly competitive first-round series, it is looking more and more likely that the 76ers will be waiting for them in the second round. Philadelphia is the top seed in the conference and the team has a lot more playoff experience than New York’s young group. Still, it would be an exciting matchup. But first, the Knicks have to take care of business against Atlanta.

Charles Oakley has no interest in having his jersey retired by his former team.

When speaking on a podcast earlier this week, former New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy stated that he believed that Oakley’s jersey should be retired and hanging in the rafters of Madison Square Garden. Whether or not Oakley was actually present for the ceremony did not matter to Van Gundy, as he argued that his play for the team and relationship with the New York fan base was enough to warrant his jersey retirement.

Oakley’s personal view, however, does not line up with Van Gundy’s perspective. Earlier in the year, Oakley spoke on a podcast about the fact that he had previously declined the Knicks’ offer to retire his jersey, and does not want it to hang inside the Garden. Oakley sees his jersey retirement as only benefitting the team, and would prefer to have it just outside MSG so it can be visible to anyone who passes by. “Put it outside with the flag and people don’t have to pay to come in and see it,” Oakley said. “Let them drive past and see it. Let it be a tourist spot,” he added.

This debate comes on the heels of a 2017 incident at the Garden between Oakley and Knicks owner James Dolan, which led to a scuffle and Oakley’s removal and ban from the world’s most famous arena.

Oakley is not the only celebrity to have issues with Dolan and Madison Square Garden. Long-time Knicks fan and director Spike Lee along with Knicks legend and current Georgetown basketball coach Patrick Ewing have both also had run ins with employees at the arena.

While the Knicks may finally be turning a corner with their on-court display this year due to the youth movement (currently 8th in the Eastern Conference), drama, scandals and chaos continues to be a problem for the Knickerbockers off of the court, specifically due to the negative feelings the fans have about the team’s owner. Many fans are counting down the days until Dolan retires and the Knicks go a different direction in terms of ownership.

Since February 23, arenas in New York have reopened sporting events to fans at over 10% capacity for venues with over 10,000 seats. Two of the stadiums that have hosted fans since are Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center. 

With the resumption of fan attendance comes coronavirus concerns. Keeping this in mind, all staff and fans must have a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the event and must wear face coverings. 

As a result, Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center will be used as testing grounds for a new digital pass that could confirm owner COVID status. This pass will verify an individual’s vaccination status or recent negative coronavirus test status. 

What became known as the Excelsior Pass was first tested on February 27 at Barclays Center for a Nets game. It was tested for the second time during a Rangers game on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. 

Like a mobile boarding pass, the Excelsior Pass can be printed out or stored on a smartphone. Each pass had a secure QR code that the venue can scan to confirm the owner’s COVID status. 

The pass only informs the venue if a pass is valid or not. There are currently plans for the Excelsior Pass to be available to the Apple and Google app stores. 

“We’re doing everything we can to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as possible, as quickly as possible, while keeping the infection rate down and reenergizing our economy in a safe, smart way,” said Gov. Cuomo (D). “As we begin reopening the valves on different sectors of our economy, we are putting guidelines in place to ensure individuals attending events involving larger gatherings have tested negative for COVID or have been vaccinated to avoid an outbreak of the virus. “

“The Excelsior Pass will play a critical role in getting information to venues and sites in a secure and streamlined way, allowing us to fast-track the reopening of these businesses and getting us one step closer to reaching a new normal,” added Cuomo.

GET DEALS ON NEW YORK KNICKS TICKETS HERE!

The most famous arena in the world is preparing to open its doors to the public again. Madison Square Garden will allow fans to return to their seats.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that large stadiums and arenas could reopen on February 23. In order to be allowed entrance, attendees must provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours before the event. This announcement comes after a successful pilot program at the Buffalo Bills’ playoff game against the Tennessee Titans. 6,700 fans – who showed negative tests and agreed to contact tracing – attended Buffalo’s wild card game in January.

The New York Knicks will host the Golden State Warriors when the Garden officially reopens on February 23. The Knicks have been one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this year. Showcasing a new young core and a new head coach in Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks currently hold the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 14-16 record. They have won three of their past four contests and are trending in the right direction. The Knicks have transitioned into one of the league’s best defenses under coach Thibodeau.

Additionally, Julius Randle has emerged as a true All-Star caliber player. Although he had shown signs of strong offensive play, he has never proven that he was an all-around great player until this season. Randle is averaging career highs in minutes, points, 3-point field goal percentage, rebounds and assists. He is the primary reason that the Knicks are in the playoff picture, but he isn’t the only reason. RJ Barrett has also taken the next step in elevating his level of play. The second-year playmaker is producing 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. Rookie guard Immanuel Quickley has progressed nicely and is exceeding expectations in his first season for the Knickerbockers. The 21-year-old is averaging 12.4 points in 19.4 minutes per game off the bench. New York has six players averaging double-digit points. This exciting team has beaten playoff teams from the West and has brought excitement and electricity back into the building.

GET THE BEST NEW YORK KNICKS TICKET DEALS HERE!

Three days following the Knicks game, fans will be allowed to watch the New York Rangers host the Boston Bruins. Similar to the Knicks, the Rangers are going through a rebuild with a solid young core. The Rangers are led by Mike Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin and rising goaltender Igor Shestyorkin. New York squeaked into the playoffs last season, but they are struggling to get on the same page this year. New York is in second-to-last place in their division with a 4-7-3 record. They are currently on a four-game losing streak. That said, there are reasons to be optimistic. Alexis Lafrenière was the first pick of the 2020 NHL Draft and is still getting used to playing in the NHL. Lafrenière has been described as a generational talent and fans will need to exercise some patience when watching his development. The Rangers also have 2019’s No. 2 pick in Kaapo Kakko. Both young players are expected to be stars so the future may be brighter than what it seems like at the moment. 

GET THE BEST NEW YORK RANGERS TICKET DEALS HERE!

It should be noted that because the state is only allowing arenas to fill at 10% capacity, only 2,000 fans will be allowed at Knicks and Rangers games. So, if you would like to attend a game, it won’t be as easy as it used to be to purchase a ticket. Fans will want to check ticket availability immediately if they would like to attend a game this season.

It’s been an up-and-down week for Carmelo Anthony. First, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls and will be waived if they can’t trade him. Spoiler: They won’t. It hurts to know the third-worst team in the conference doesn’t want you. Then, he returned to Madison Square Garden as a fan on Sunday and stood up and waved after receiving a standing ovation.

LeBron, Wade & More On Melo’s Ovation

After the game, Melo said “I’ve had some great years in this building. I look forward to coming back and playing in this building some more.” Maybe when he got the standing O he basked in it and thought back to his years as a Knick. Maybe he hoped for more. But he didn’t realize that everyone else had moved on, treating him as if he was already retired.

“At this point, I just want to be happy,” Anthony said about his plans. “I think I’ve put myself in a good, peaceful mind state right now, able to focus in on what I need to focus in on. And whatever’s going to make me happy, then we’re going to make it happen.”

Anthony attended the game to see Dwyane Wade— a close friend, a three-time champion and fellow 2003 draft class alumni — play out his last game in MSG. Anthony received a long standing ovation when he was shown on the jumbotron during the first quarter. LeBron James and DWade showed their support for Melo on Twitter.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Following the game, Wade was confident Melo could still help a team. “Everyone has to make the right sacrifices, and it has to be the right group, and it has to be the right coach,” he said. “It has to work perfectly when it’s an aging star in this game. And unfortunately, his last stop in Houston, it wasn’t the right stop. But Carmelo can play basketball.” he added.

Melo, now 34, averaged 13.4 points on 40 percent shooting in 29 minutes per game this season for the Rockets.  He’s an aging iso style ball handler in a league that’s outgrown it. Some stars grow old and try to win championships like Ray Allen. Others grow old and try to win locker room feuds like Allen Iverson and now Melo.  Though he only won a single playoff series in New York, he’s their brightest spot in the past 20 years. Prime Melo is gone. The Knicks are still holding on to him.

USA Basketball and the Big East made an impressive announcement on Tuesday. The conference will represent the United States in the 2019 Pan American Games. It’ll be the first time in the Pan Am Games’ history that a single Division I conference will represent the country in men’s basketball.

Division I Big East Conference To Rep USA In Pan Am

Though Team USA once won the gold medal in 1983, they haven’t been spectacular since. They won silver in 1999, 1995 and 1987 and got the bronze medal in 2015, 2011 and 1991. In 2007, the team failed to medal entirely. Things may be different in 2019, when the games will take place from August 6 to 10 in Lima, Peru.

Big East commissioner Val Ackerman called the announcement “an honor.” “We are very honored to have been chosen by the NCAA and USA Basketball to represent the United States in this prestigious competition,” he said. “This will be a unique educational, cultural and competitive experience for our participating players and coaches, and we look forward to working with Coach Cooley to assemble the best possible group to carry the basketball flag in Peru.”

Providence coach Ed Cooley was picked to coach the team. He’s got a long history of involvement with USA Basketball, including as a court coach for the USA U19 World Cup team in 2013. He was also involved with the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in 2014 and the U19 World Championship in 2015.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

“I am very honored to be asked to coach this unique squad of Big East players,” Cooley said. “Any time you have the opportunity to represent your country, it is special. I have the highest level of respect for USA Basketball and the Big East as they are two organizations that have been so instrumental in my career development.”

The announcement comes just nine days after the Big East announced plans to keep their tournament in Madison Square Garden. There was an opt-out clause that some expected the conference to use. Instead, they locked in their prime-time spot, forcing the Big Ten and ACC to play a week early if they opt to use MSG for their tournaments as well.

New York Knicks owner James Dolan recently put the WNBA’s New York Liberty up for sale and said the Knicks could potentially face the same fate soon — if an adequate offer presents itself.

James Dolan Hints At Selling Knicks For $5B

In an interview released Monday, Dolan — who also owns the New York Rangers — told ESPN’s Ian O’Connor that offers of $5 billion and up have recently been made for the Knicks, although there has yet to be a “bona fide offer” for the franchise.

“You hear numbers all the time,” Dolan told ESPN. “… I think people have sent feelers out, but never any that were pursued. Yeah, [the feelers are] around that number [$5 billion], but those things, it’s like a stock price. It’s only important if you’re going to buy or sell.”

The 63-year-old chairman of Madison Square Garden also noted that he has shareholders to think of.

“You have a responsibility as the guy who runs the place to deliver on that for them, that’s being open and transparent. And so in that position, I could never say that I wouldn’t consider selling the Knicks,” Dolan added. “Now, my family is not in that position, and they are the majority shareholders. They hold the majority of the vote.”

He continued: “As a majority owner, I don’t want to sell, either. As the head of the public company, you can’t say you can’t sell, because then you’re telling your shareholders that your own personal feelings about your assets are more important than their money. And they won’t invest with you if you do that.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The Knicks have severely struggled in recent years, and haven’t reached the NBA Finals since 1999, Dolan’s first year as MSG chairman. New York’s last NBA championship came in 1973.

The franchise has also undergone severe turnover at the top coaching and executive levels over the last few years: the team has had 12 head coaches and seven presidents. Only two Knicks coaches — Mike Woodson and Jeff Van Gundy — have enjoyed winning records.

In May, the Knicks hired David Fizdale as head coach to replace Jeff Hornacek. Fizdale, a former Memphis Grizzlies head coach, also worked as an assistant for the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks.

In his latest two-hour interview, Dolan also discussed his legal disputes, his 25 years of sobriety and his relationship with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Attention, all WNBA fans: tickets for the New York Liberty’s first playoff home game are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com!

New York Liberty 2017 Playoffs Game 1 Tickets

The Liberty are in the playoffs for the third straight year after losing to Phoenix in the second round in 2016.

This year, the eight WNBA teams that will duke it out in the postseason are the Minnesota Lynx, Los Angeles Sparks, Connecticut Sun, Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, Dallas Wings, New York Liberty, and the Seattle Storm.

The new format put in place for last year’s playoffs will be used again this year. The first two rounds are single-elimination, which means the top two seeds — Minnesota and Los Angeles — will enjoy two straight bye weeks.

No. 4 seed Connecticut and No. 3 seed New York will get one bye, although both teams won’t play until the second single-elimination round.

On Sunday, Sept. 10 at 5pm EST, the Liberty will play their first playoff game of 2017 at Madison Square Garden. In this second-round matchup, New York will face the winner of the first-round Wings/Mystics contest, which is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 pm EST.

The Liberty finished the regular season 22-12 and first in the Eastern Conference, and are on a ten-game winning streak. New York most recently beat the Wings 82-81 in Dallas on Sunday.

Standard admission tickets for the Liberty’s first playoff game begin at $29 on Ticketmaster. There is an eight-ticket limit for the event.

PHOENIX, AZ – AUGUST 23: Plenette Pierson #33 of the New York Liberty handles the ball during the WNBA game against the Phoenix Mercury at US Airways Center on August 23, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Liberty defeated the Mercury 74-70. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Attention, all college basketball fans: tickets to the inaugural Citi Hoops Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City are now on pre-sale at Ticketmaster!

Citi Hoops Classic 2017 Tickets

The Kentucky Wildcats will face off against the Monmouth Hawks men’s basketball team in this year’s tournament, which will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 12pm EST at MSG.

“This is a great opportunity to play a strong and up and coming team in a historic venue,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said in a statement. “We love coming to New York and look forward to seeing the Big Blue Nation in full force out east.”

Kentucky advanced to the Elite Eight in last season’s NCAA Tournament where the Wildcats fell to eventual national champion North Carolina, 75-73.

“I’ve looked up to Coach Calipari for a long time,” said King Rice, who is entering his seventh season as Monmouth’s head coach. “This game will be a great chance for our two teams to play each other outside of our conferences.”

Monmouth finished last season with a 27-6 record but fell to Siena in the second round of the MAAC Tournament before losing to Ole Miss in the NIT.

The Citi Cardmember pre-sale for tickets began on Thursday (Aug. 24), and ticket sales start on Friday (Aug. 25) at 10 am EST.

MEMPHIS, TN – MARCH 26: Malik Monk #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats shoots against Justin Jackson #44 of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the first half during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at FedExForum on March 26, 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Attention, all college basketball fans: tickets for the 2017 2K Classic are now on sale on Ticketmaster!

GET Tickets: 2K Classic College Basketball Semifinals 2017

The 2K Classic is the nation’s premier season-opening NCAA basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The double matchup will be held November 16 and 17.

In the semifinals, Providence and Washington will meet for only the second time ever. In the first contest between the two teams, the Huskies won at Providence 60-51 on Dec. 15, 1980.

The other semifinal will see St. Louis face off against Virginia Tech. The Hokies have won all seven of their games against St. Louis. All four games of the Championship Rounds will air on ESPN2.

This is the 20th year that MSG hosts the 2K Classic, which benefits the Wounded Warrior Project to help veterans.

Standard Admission tickets begin at $15 on Ticketmaster.com, while the best seats are priced at $500.

The Michigan Wolverines are the reigning 2K Classic champions. They defeated the Southern Methodist Mustangs 76-54 in November 2016.

Attention, all wrestling fans! Tickets for the 2017 WWE Live SummerSlam Heatwave Tour are now on sale!

WWE Live SummerSlam Tickets MSG July [Ticket Info]

The New York City stop of the tour will be held at Madison Square Garden on Friday, July 7 at 7:30 pm EST.

Defending WWE champion Dean Ambrose will replace Roman Reigns. 

Also featured for the first time ever at MSG will be new WWE champion Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens for the WWE championship match.

John Cena and AJ Styles will also face off for the first time ever at MSG, while the show will also include major names like Alberto del Rio, Sheamus, Gallows & Anderson, The USO’s, Mark Henry, Apollo Crews, Natalya, Becky Lynch and several more.

Tickets start at $26 each on ticketmaster.com, and their is an eight overall ticket limit for this event.

NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 23: Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt stare each other down at the WWE SummerSlam 2015 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on August 23, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by JP Yim/Getty Images)

Bellator’s first-ever mixed martial arts event will be held at New York’s Madison Square Garden this summer, and tickets are on sale now!

> TICKETS: Bellator NYCA MMA tickets (Sonnen vs. Silva, June 24)

The event, Bellator NYC, will take place Saturday June 24 at 5:30 pm EST. The main card will see Chael Sonnen (29-15-1) and Wanderlei Silva (35-12-1, 1 NC) face off in a light heavyweight bout that has been in the works since 2011.
Also featured as part of the double main event is a fight between Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC), an MMA legend many consider to be the greatest heavyweight fighter in history, and Matt Mitrione (11-5).

The blockbuster pay-per-view promotion is also adding two World Championship bouts. First, Douglas Lima (28-6) will defend his welterweight belt against Lorenz Larkin (18-5, 1 NC) and then current lightweight champion Michael Chandler (16-3) will face undefeated Brent Primus (7-0).

Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com and begin at $86, and there is an eight-ticket limit for the event.

Here is the full event lineup:

Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva Card (Pay-Per-View):

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Chael Sonnen (29-15-1) vs. Wanderlei Silva (35-12-1, 1 NC)

Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)

Welterweight World Title Bout: Douglas Lima (28-6) vs. Lorenz Larkin (18-5, 1 NC)

Lightweight World Title Bout: Michael Chandler (16-3) vs. Brent Primus (7-0)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Aaron Pico (Debut) vs. Zach Freeman (8-2)

BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 17: Chael Sonnen reacts after winning the fight with a tap out by guillotine choke against Mauricio Rua in their light heavyweight bout at TD Garden on August 17, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The World Championship of Boxing will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday, May 20, and tickets are on sale now.

> GET Tickets for WC Boxing (May 20) at Madison Square Garden

The event, which is scheduled to begin at 7 pm EST, will feature two top Junior Welterweight fighters facing off: undefeated world champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (30-0, 21 KOs), who will seek to defend his WBO / WBC / Ring Magazine titles against former Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz, (19-1, 9 KOs) a contender from the Dominican Republic.

Crawford, who hails from Omaha, Nebraska, will be making his MSG debut in New York. He has won five of his last seven fights via knockout, and will be seeking his 31st straight career victory on May 20.

Southpaw Diaz, meanwhile, will hope to prove his status as the best 140-pound boxer in the world by attempting to give Crawford his first career loss.

Tickets on Ticketmaster begin at $35, and the best seats in the arena are priced at $250.

Get your tickets now before prices increase or they sell out!

There is a 20-ticket limit in price levels 1-5 and an eight-ticket limit for price level 6.

You may call MSG’s Accessible Services Department and Disabled Services Department at 212-465-6034 for any inquiries or requests regarding accessibility or special accommodations.

Tickets are also available on MSG’s website at www.thegarden.com.

The New York Knicks welcomed a notable alumnus back to Madison Square Garden on Sunday night: Latrell Sprewell.

Ex-Knick Latrell Sprewell and Owner James Dolan Sit Together At Game

The 46-year-old former player sat next to Knicks owner James Dolan during the team’s 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Sprewell and Dolan have had a strained relationship for quite some time. Sprewell, who helped lead the Knicks to the Finals in 1999, shouted profanity at Dolan in his first home game back in New York in 2003, following a trade from the Knicks to the Minnesota Timberwolves– something that only worsened their rapport. He was fined for the incident.

“I can’t tell you why I haven’t been back here, but I’ll tell you when I left, I was not happy,” Sprewell, who played with the Knicks from 1998-2003, told ABC. “New York is like a second home for me. I love the fans here. The fans have embraced me. There’s no place like the Garden to play in. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play in the Garden?”

Nevertheless, the pair seemed to get along just fine on Sunday, unlike the incident that occurred with another former Knicks star four days prior suggested. On Wednesday, retired player Charles Oakley, who also has had a tenuous relationship with Dolan, was arrested at Madison Square Garden following a scuffle with security guards during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Oakley, who was simply attempting to get close to Dolan to talk to him– claiming he doesn’t understand why the Knicks owner has ignored him– was handcuffed and removed from the arena, much to the disappointment of fans, who chanted for him to be let go.

Dolan has since been heavily criticized for the way Oakley was treated, and drew further anger following his unsubstantiated suggestion that Oakley may have a drinking problem. Dolan announced that Oakley was banned indefinitely two days after his arrest, and after Oakley heard of his former owner’s accusations that he had a drinking problem, the former player denied this Saturday in an interview with the New York Post.

Other ex-Knicks also sat near Dolan on Sunday, including Bernard King and Larry Johnson. Johnson, now an employee of the organization, told the New York Daily News he felt conflicted about attending Sunday’s game after Oakley’s arrest on Wednesday.

Nine former Knicks in total attended Sunday’s win. The team played a video tribute to Sprewell on the Jumbotron in the first quarter, and then he was shown sitting in the crowd, which drew cheers.

“I’m just happy to be back now,” said Sprewell, who got a warm reception from the fans Sunday. “A guy named Jonathan [Supranowitz, Knicks vice president of public relations], I’ve kept in touch with him over the years and he worked his magic and he was able to pull some strings and get me back.”

When asked about the Oakley incident, Sprewell said he was saddened by it, even though the two never played for the team at the same time, and that he hopes the Knicks organization can resolve any issues of that type appropriately in the future.

“Obviously, it’s a disappointing thing,” Sprewell said. “No one wants to see anything like that. Not just for New York, but just for the NBA family. I mean, it happened. Hopefully, it will be something that everybody can just somehow iron out and get past. I mean, just an unfortunate situation, obviously.”

MINNEAPOLIS – APRIL 21: Latrell Sprewell #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates his three point shot in the first half against the Denver Nuggets on April 21, 2004 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Charles Oakley became the center of attention midway through the first quarter of the New York Knicks’ home game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, when the former Knick was arrested following an altercation with security.

Ex-Knick Charles Oakley Arrested At MSG

Oakley, who played 10 years with the Knicks, was reportedly arguing with owner James Dolan before the situation escalated. The 53-year-old was removed from his front row seat, handcuffed and at one point knocked to the ground by Madison Square Garden security after Oakley became physically aggressive when responding to security’s efforts to calm him down.

Play briefly stopped as everyone in the arena observed the scuffle unfold. Fans reportedly began chanting “Free Oakley,” as the former NBA star continued to angrily argue and even at one point said, “F— that, let me go,” as he was being dragged out into the tunnel at MSG while Knicks president Phil Jackson attempted to calm him down. “I didn’t do nothing,” Oakley also yelled.

Knicks PR issued a statement on Oakley: “Charles Oakley came to the game tonight and behaved in a highly inappropriate and completely abusive manner. He has been ejected and is currently being arrested by the New York City Police Department. He was a great Knick and we hope he gets some help soon.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQSDbfchB-i/

Following the altercation, Oakley was charged and arrested with three counts of misdemeanor third-degree assault and one count of misdemeanor criminal trespass, according to The New York Times. He was released with an appearance ticket. He has a court date scheduled for March, according to ESPN.

Oakley later said Thursday that he has attempted to repair his broken relationship with Dolan several times, but the Knicks owner has shunned him on every occasion.

“He don’t want to meet with me,” Oakley told The Undefeated’s Mike Wise. “Man won’t even shake my hand.”

Oakley has criticized the Knicks over the years, specifically slamming Dolan’s leadership as owner at times. . But Oakley told The Undefeated he was really hurt when Dolan refused to shake his hand when Oakley approached him at the 2014 All-Star Game in New Orleans.

Since then, their already-strained relationship has only worsened, Oakley said.

“Whenever I go to the Garden now, security has been told to inform him immediately,” Oakley said. “Last year against Charlotte I went to a game and a bunch of security people came up to me right away and told me not to walk around, stay where I am. He just doesn’t want me in the building.”

Oakley played with the Knicks from 1988 to 1998.

NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 05: Former professional basketball player Charles Oakley attends the 2012 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award presentation at Espace on December 5, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Conor McGregor became the first fighter in history on Saturday night to hold two UFC world championships simultaneously after knocking out Eddie Alvarez in the second round at UFC 205 in New York.

Conor McGregor Makes History By Knocking Out Eddie Alvarez To Win Lightweight Title At UFC 205

Irishman McGregor stepped up to the Octagon at Madison Square Garden to a thunderous reception while Alvarez, the man from nearby Philadelphia, was heavily booed.

McGregor, 28, was the aggressor early on as he pressed forward. He hit Alvarez early with his left hand, but the American sprang back up after only seconds on the mat. With 30 second remaining in the opening round, McGregor’s output slowed.

Round two began with McGregor again taking the center of the Octagon. Again, he hit Alvarez with his left hand, although this time the Philadelphian responded with his own jabs. The Irishman then began taunting his opponent, begging him to come forward so he could land another strong blow.

Alvarez then managed to clinch McGregor against the cage. After a minute of defending a takedown, McGregor wriggled away and then the end drew near.

The Irishman slipped an Alvarez right hand and landed a big left cross to temple. Alvarez fell to the mat after the follow-up hit and McGregor landed one hit of ground and pound before referee John McCarthy jumped in to call the fight as the Madison Square Garden crowd roared.

The fight drew a crowd of 20,427 for a live gate of $17.7 million. That was good enough to shatter MSG box-office records and UFC records.

“I want to thank the Las Vegas Culinary Union for spending their members’ dollars making this the biggest night in UFC history,” said UFC president Dana White at the post-fight press conference.

The significance of that fight evidently wasn’t lost on White, who believes it will take an otherworldly bout to surpass the numbers set by Alvarez vs McGregor.

“I don’t think that record will ever be broken,” he said. “Jesus is gonna have to fight the devil to break that record, man.”

Meanwhile, Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson fought to a majority draw (48-7, 47-47, 47-47).

In the women’s event, Poland’s Joanna Jedrzejczyk defeated compatriot Karolina Kowalkiewicz via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46).

Here are the full results of UFC 205:

Main card:

Conor McGregor beats Eddie Alvarez by knockout [lightweight title fight]

Tyron Woodley in majority draw with Stephen Thompson [welterweight title fight]

Joanna Jedrzejczyk beats Karolina Kowalkiewicz by unanimous decision [strawweight title fight]

Yoel Romero beats Chris Weidman by TKO [middleweight]

Raquel Pennington beats Miesha Tate by unanimous decision [bantamweight]

Preliminaries:

Frankie Edgar beats Jeremy Stephens by unanimous decision [featherweight]

Khabib Nurmagomedov beats Michael Johnson by submission [lightweight]

Tim Boetsch beats Rafael Natal by KO [middleweight]

Vicente Luque beats Belal Muhammad by KO [welterweight]

Early pre-lims:

Jim Miller beats Thiago Alves by unanimous decision [welterweight]

Liz Carmouche beats Katlyn Chookagian by unanimous decision [bantamweight]

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 12: (R-L) Conor McGregor of Ireland punches Eddie Alvarez in their UFC lightweight championship fight in their UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC 205 event at Madison Square Garden on November 12, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images )

Former UFC Light-Heavyweight champion Rashad Evans has been pulled from his preliminary middleweight bout against Tim Kennedy at UFC 205 due to an issue with his pre-fight medicals.

Rashad Evans Pulled From UFC 205 Bout Vs Tim Kennedy

The pair were supposed to face off in Saturday’s event at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

However, according to Evans, the New York State Athletic Commission found a problem with his medicals and wouldn’t clear him to obtain a license to compete in the state.

“I got pulled of the card because I didn’t meet the NY commissions medical standards,” Evans wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “I am medically fine so please don’t worry about me. I will share more at another time but right now I just need to digest months of hard work and preparations.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMkQl2uDN8m/

UFC 205 was supposed to be a homecoming for Evans, who is a New York native, while also marking his first time competing at 185 pounds.

“I’m healthy”, Evans told MMAFighting.com. I don’t want anyone worrying about me. I’m fine, physically speaking. Never felt better. It’s just the commission and their rules. I guess they have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to this.”

Kennedy took to Twitter on Tuesday asking several fighters to accept a bout with him after news that Evans was being pulled from the card. He also praised the UFC for how it handled the fallout of his fight:

Both Evans and Kennedy will be paid in full for the fight, along with their promised win bonuses. Kennedy was reportedly planning to retire after the big New York bout.

There is another middleweight card on UFC 205 as Tim Boetsch takes on Rafael Natal in the early prelims.

Chris Kreider broke a tie halfway through the third period to lead the New York Rangers to a 5-2 victory against their crosstown rival New York Islanders in their season opener at Madison Square Garden Thursday night.

Rangers Hold Off Islanders For 5-3 Win In Opener

Michael Grabner, Mats Zuccarello, Brandon Pirri and J.T. Miller also scored and Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves for the Rangers, who got the win after blowing a two-goal lead earlier in the third period. The Rangers were 0-3-1 against the Islanders last season.

“Just for the team, it was a really good effort,” Kreider said. “A couple of lapses in terms of our rush coverage, but you see some of the things that we struggled with last year that we’re really honed in and focusing on right from the get-go, which is a great sign. You see us playing fast again.”

Nick Leddy, Cal Clutterbuck and Brock Nelson scored for the Islanders. Jaroslav Halak, who didn’t play after March 8 last season due to a groin injury, made 34 saves.

Grabner opened scoring 13:41 into the game. Pirri took a wrist shot from between the circles that Halak stopped, but Grabner, a former Islanders forward, was just inside the crease and knocked in the rebound to make it 1-0.

Zuccarello made it 2-0 at 17:41 of the second. Defenseman Brady Skjei took the puck at the right point and fed Zuccarello at the right circle, where his backhand shot caromed off the skate of Islanders forward Ryan Strome and into the net.

Leddy netted the Islanders’ first goal 47 seconds into the third period after taking a pass from Casey Cizikas and firing a wrist shot from the left circle past Lundqvist.

Clutterbuck tied it at 4:04 of the third. With the teams at even strength, Clutterbuck drove to the net and redirected Nikolay Kulemin’s shot off the left wing past Lundqvist to make it 2-2.

However, Kreider came in to save the day and broke the tie at 9:45 of the third, when rookie Pavel Buchnevich sent him on a breakaway with a strong feed along the right-wing boards. Kreider maneuvered around defenseman Travis Hamonic and beat Halak with a backhand shot.

Pirri then re-gave the Rangers their two-goal lead with a power-play goal at 16:11 of the third. With Islanders captain John Tavares serving a holding penalty, Pirri took a no-look backhand pass from Kreider and fired a one-timer from the right circle to beat Halak and make it 4-2.

Miller scored the final goal, an empty-netter, with 2:23 left.

Nelson scored the Islanders’ third goal with 1:35 remaining, but by then it was already too little, too late.

“We did some good things, but didn’t get the result we wanted,” Tavares said.

The Rangers, on the other hand, seemed content with their overall performance in the opener.

“We’re a fast team. It was a lot of fun playing tonight,” said Pirri. “If we’re solid defensively, with the speed and skill we have, it’s going to make it hard on the opponent every night.”

The Islanders felt differently from the way they had in all four games against the Rangers last season.

“I think it’s a big game and that might be a little disappointing for me, just looking that some of the guys that didn’t play with the intensity that we wanted,” Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. “If you can’t get up for this one, it’s tough. I thought it was a good hockey game, I thought both teams played well. They got some breaks when they needed them. We come back, we tie it, then Kreider gets behind us.”

The Islanders will next visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday. The Rangers, meanwhile, will visit the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 13: Travis Hamonic #3 of the New York Islanders is checked by J.T. Miller #10 of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 13, 2016 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Islanders 5-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Conor McGregor has undoubtedly made a name for himself as one of mixed martial arts’ biggest trash-talkers, so most people know by now that if they want to verbally fight him, they better come as heavily armed as possible.

Conor McGregor, Jeremy Stephens Trade Jabs At UFC 205 Pre-Fight Press Conference

Featherweight contender Jeremy Stephens fired a shot at the 28-year-old Irishman at the UFC 205 pre-fight press conference at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, and McGregor retorted with a verbal nuclear strike.

It began when the Irishman was asked about the group of fighters he was sharing the stage with, and what type of challenge any of them would be for him.

Before McGregor could even respond, Stephens decided to interrupt and give the reigning featherweight champion a taste of what fighting him would be like.

“Right here — the hardest-hitting 145-pounder, the real hardest-hitting 145’er right here,” Stephens, a 30-year-old American, said. “This guy TKOs people. When I knock people out, they don’t f—— move.”

McGregor paused for a moment before looking behind him on the dais where Stephens was sitting and then gave a response that the crowd at MSG clearly seems to have loved.

“Who the f— is that guy?” McGregor shouted. “Who the f— is that?”

Clearly, the Irishman wanted to make clear that he is the famous one there, and that Stephens is just a nobody.

Furthermore, UFC President Dana White had to intervene after McGregor and Eddie Alvarez angrily approached each other and exchanged words; White separated the two.

After the conference was over, Stephens then went on Toe-2-Toe with Brian Stann on SiriusXM radio, where he addressed why didn’t respond to McGregor onstage.

“When we got into it, it is what it is. He knows exactly who I am,” said Stephens. “I’ve fought on his cards before and had some nasty knockouts. It’s only a matter of time but right now my 100% focus is on Frankie Edgar. An exciting win, a great knockout, a highlight win puts me right in the mix for that title shot. You never know, there could be some injuries or whatnot and I’d gladly be the guy to step up and put on a show for the New York fans.”

The American has actually fought on two UFC cards alongside McGregor, UFC 189 and UFC 194. At 189, Stephens did score an impressive finish, knocking out Dennis Bermudez with a flying knee and punches but at 194 he lost a unanimous decision to Max Hollaway.

Stephens will face Frankie Edgar on Nov. 12 at UFC 205 in New York.

LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 12: Conor McGregor celebrates after a first-round knockout victory over Jose Aldo in their featherweight title fight during UFC 194 on December 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)