Watching an NBA game live was one of my must-do things on my recent journey to New York. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know I have a thing for sports (for example, I watched an Athletic Club match in Bilbao). However, since I’ve never visited the United States before, I didn’t have the chance to watch an NBA game in person.
A couple of weeks before visiting the States, I checked the NBA games calendar and saw that a game was planned at the iconic Madison Square Garden. The 2025 NBA playoffs had just started, and the fifth game between the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons was planned at MSG. Although Game 5 wasn’t yet confirmed (if a team won four consecutive times, the game wouldn’t take place), I decided to buy tickets.
The Knicks won the first game at Madison Square Garden, but after a tight match, the Pistons walked away with a win in Game 2. Since this is a series played in four games, the Pistons’ victory meant that Game 5 would take place. The Knicks won the two away games at Detroit, meaning the Playoffs Game 5 at MSG could be the last of the series.
And I had tickets for that game.
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In-person NBA experience at MSG: Knicks vs Pistons (Game 5)
Watching an NBA game live means you are granted access to a spectacular show. Compared to a game in Europe, you might miss the passion, tension, and dedication of the fans: here, it feels more like entertainment. Of course, several things feel superior when watching an in-person NBA game live in the States, and that’s where I plan to focus on this article.
*If there’s no match available during your visit, you can still glimpse the venue’s atmosphere by booking a fantastic MSG tour here.
Buying tickets for an NBA game
First things first: if you are up for watching an NBA game live, get ready to splurge. The NBA tickets are pricey, and depending on the game and venue, be prepared to spend on a ticket what you’d spend on a season ticket in Europe. Moreover, prices can be really steep if you are about to watch a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden.
As I already mentioned, the match I attended was Game 5 of the first playoff round. While most tickets are sold as season tickets, you will always find some free seats. These will either be scattered free seats or tickets on resale. The latter means that some season ticket holders cannot attend the game, and they sell their seats for a specific game.
The official portal for NBA ticket sales is Ticketmaster, and that’s where most people purchase their seats. However, two other websites offer tickets: Vivid Seats and SeatGeek. As a newbie in NBA games, I bought mine from Ticketmaster. However, I enjoyed checking Vivid Seats because they show you the visibility from the seat you are about to purchase. This great feature helped me decide where to buy a ticket.
As for the price, well, I told you already it’s steep: my seat at Gate 212 cost 310$. The cheapest tickets for the game started at 270$, while the most expensive cost thousands of dollars.
Long story short, the tickets were bought, Game 5 was on, and I took the subway to Penn Station and the iconic Madison Square Garden on a sunny afternoon in New York.
Knicks vs Pistons Game 5 at MSG
Unlike in Europe, the gates open an hour before the game. Since the match was set for 19:30, I made sure to be there more than an hour earlier. I wanted to see the pre-game atmosphere, shoot some photos of the MSG exterior, and have enough time to buy some merch.
I want to note that all the images you see in this article were taken with my iPhone. NBA games at MSG have a strict policy regarding cameras. DSLRs are not allowed in the venue, so I left my camera in the hotel to avoid unwanted stress. I know I could risk bringing the camera and see what happens, but I preferred not to risk it. The same goes for backpacks.
So, charge your phone, leave the bag at home, and prepare for a unique experience.
Entering the MSG for an NBA game + The Merch
The process of entering the MSG is smooth and fast. You have to download the ticket you purchased to your phone’s wallet (Apple or Google) and present it. There’s also an airport-style security check before entering the venue. I went through quickly; some people with handbags were asked for additional checks.
After entering, a kiosk sells merchandise, and next to it, you’ll see the official Knicks store. The latter is open daily, but it was packed beyond words an hour before the game. Therefore, I queued at the kiosk and bought a match program and a Knicks pin. The prices were similar to what you’ll pay for merchandise in Europe.
After presenting the tickets, you can go to the escalators and reach your seat. Since the New York Knickerbockers’ home ground is enormous, finding your gate will take some time. Before entering the gate, you can buy drinks and light food. As is the case with every such venue, they are somewhat overpriced, but remember that you’ll spend several hours there.
At the seats of Gate 212 and ready for my first NBA game
Forty minutes before the game between the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, the stadium was rather empty. I knew the game was sold out, so this was a surprise. However, seeing how many gates the MSG has, I understood that it would be packed in no time.
Indeed, approximately ten minutes before the game, the venue was packed. The seats were very comfortable and I felt like I was in a European cinema. There was enough legroom, and honestly, it was the most comfortable stadium seats I’ve ever had.
The atmosphere was cheerful, and the show started when the New York Knicks entered the venue. There were no chants, but the crowd cheered, and everyone was ready for the big game.
New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons: the game
What I’ve seen on television was justified during my in-person experience. Compared to Europe, the defense is not the most significant part of the game. It’s a big show after all, and a matter of entertainment: scoring is what the crowd pays for, and that’s what the teams offer.
The match started after the US anthem was sung. Booing the referees is also a part of the game, and the crowd reacted several times to (what they assumed were) wrong calls. On the other hand, there were three chants during the game: the well-known “Defense, defense,” the vibrant “Let’s go Knicks,” and in the last period, you could hear “MVP, MVP.” The latter was dedicated that evening to Jalen Brunson, who had a fantastic night at MSG.
What I never got while watching live NBA games on TV was the amount of music and jingles during the game. While in Europe it’s the fans that must push the team during the game, in the NBA games, music has this role. This keeps the spirits of the teams and spectators up, but it also makes you feel that the crowd participates less.
There’s always a show in NBA timeouts
Sometimes it’s a cheerleader’s show. Other times, fans engage in various games. There will also be moments where a Knicks T-shirt will be thrown to the crowd. And what is for sure is that the show never finishes.
In every break, something will take place on the court, and there’s always something to look forward to. It’s part of the entertainment package that live NBA games offer to the people attending. Indeed, NBA games are full-time shows: the game started at 19:30 and finished a minute or two before 22:30.
That said, I entered Madison Square Garden around 18:30 and was out a quarter to eleven. It was a four-hour experience, the majority of which was dedicated to the game. The big screens presented various stats and offered instant replays, while the timeout shows on the court were really fun to watch.
The Knicks vs Pistons NBA game itself
As I’ve written earlier, and despite the chant, defense is not the most important part of the game. Both teams’ players didn’t have the best night of their careers, and this resulted in a relatively low score for an NBA game.
The game was tight from early on, and neither of the teams was able to build momentum. This, of course, meant more tension for the fans, and the game had lots of agony until the last second. Despite Brunson’s efforts (at some point he seemed to be playing alone against the Pistons), Cunningham had played a great game, scoring 13 out of his 24 points in the last quarter. Ausar Thompson’s exceptional performance, paired with Cunningham’s moral, led the Pistons to an away win with 103-106.
The Detroit Pistons’ win shocked the MSG crowd. This win meant that the series would be continued in Detroit for Game 6 (for the history, Knicks won the away game a few days later, and they qualified for the next playoff round against the Boston Celtics).
You can see the game’s extensive (and impressive) coverage and statistics by ESPN here.
Leaving the MSG after the NBA game of the Knicks vs the Pistons
The match finished quite late, but exiting the venue was as smooth as entering it. Even though there were approximately twenty thousand spectators in the stands, leaving the MSG was fast.
Despite the loss, the mood outside the venue was pretty festive. One thing that I didn’t expect to see was that there were tons of garbage (beer cans, food, plastic bags, etc) in the streets around the MSG. I guess it’s pretty normal to see such things in places where many people are gathering (in Europe, it’s the same); however, the amount surprised me.
It was lively for several blocks, and watching an NBA game was a fantastic experience.
Watching an NBA Game live: Final thoughts
It’s not a cliche to say that watching a live NBA game is a memorable experience. The crowd’s excitement and the action on the court are truly fascinating, while the in-between events will offer a deeper layer to what NBA games really are: pure entertainment and games for appreciating basketball as a game.
Yes, the prices are steep, especially for a Knicks game. However, if you can afford a ticket, the event won’t let you down. Even for people without a genuine interest in sports, watching a live NBA game is definitely worth watching. It’s an experience completely different if you are a non-US citizen, and it will show a real aspect of American life.
For true basketball fans, it’s an opportunity to have a fantastic evening and see world-famous players up close. Moreover, the courtside seats will be populated with Hollywood stars (I saw Ben Stiller and John Torturo that evening), and the experience will compensate you.
Does it deserve watching a live NBA game? Absolutely yes. It’s a tremendous experience; if you can afford it, don’t miss the opportunity.
More about the United States: coming soon
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Last Updated on May 24, 2025 by George Pavlopoulos