Hours before Game 4 of the N.B.A. finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, the watch party outside Madison Square Garden was canceled after a spat erupted between the mayor and the Garden’s owner.
In a statement posted on X, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that James Dolan, the owner of the Knicks, had “decided to cancel the watch party,” a move that he said was “breaking hearts across our city.”
In a radio interview on “The Craig Carton Show,” Mr. Dolan blamed Mr. Mamdani and Jessica S. Tisch, the police commissioner, for enhanced security measures around the arena on Monday.
He attacked both as being inexperienced and intent on disrupting the team’s run through the playoffs, which has captivated New York City and fans hungry for a title that has eluded them for more than 50 years.
“This is about celebrating the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, at the Mecca of basketball,” Mr. Dolan said. “This is what the mayor’s office and the commissioner’s office is trying to kill. They don’t want the celebration.”
A spokeswoman for the Police Department said earlier on Wednesday that the agency had been prepared to deploy for a watch party that evening, noting that the city had approved the permit ahead of time.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.