Knicks look to clinch NBA title as Brazil faces Morocco in World Cup

The bar may have been busy for the football but it was nothing compared with the crowd that surged in as team ended 53-year wait for the NBA title At John Doe’s bar on 28th and 5th in Manhattan, the crowd was already heaving energetically by early evening, as a multitude of TV screens beamed Vinícius Júnior’s equaliser for Brazil, responding to Ismael Saibari’s opener for Morocco. With competing nations’ flags as bunting and inflatable footballs – the correct, round kind – hanging from the roof, there was no lack of World Cup visibility. Football shirts abounded, with Brazilians here and the odd Moroccan shirt there, as well as a Manchester United and Casemiro fan somewhat aghast at the mobility of his hero. Yet there could be no doubting the main event in town. Despite the fact that New York mayor Zohran Mamdani was at MetLife Stadium for the soccer – a subdued groan met his appearance on the TV screen, followed by loud, defiant Democrat cheers – this was a mere curtain-raiser for the real show. The New York Knicks were bidding to end a 53-year wait to win the NBA title and were playing the San Antonio Spurs in Texas. Continue reading...

New York City could be in for one of its most memorable nights of sporting celebrations if both the Knicks and Brazil get the job done on Saturday. The Knicks are just one win away from their first NBA title since 1973, holding a 3-1 lead over the San Antonio Spurs going into Game 5 of the 2026 Finals.

If there’s a saving grace from the bedlam that is about to ensue in New York City on Saturday, with the Knicks on the verge of a championship and Brazil taking on Morocco in the World Cup, it is that Game 5 of the NBA Finals is on the road. Of course, that wo…

If there is a saving grace from the bedlam that is about to ensue in New York City on Saturday, with the Knicks on the verge of a championship and Brazil taking on Morocco in the World Cup, it is that Game 5 of the NBA Finals is on the road. Of course, that won’t stop orange-and-blue-blooded Knicks fans from teeming into the area near the team’s Manhattan arena to watch on bar TVs and big screens as their team — playing 1,580 miles (2,545 kilometers) away in San Antonio — looks to clinch its first title in 53 years. The city, which is already blocking off some streets near Madison Square Garden for World Cup transportation, has yet to say what security measures will be in place for Knicks fans gathering outside.