Jalen Brunson's Knicks Set to Create History With Most Expensive NBA Finals Tickets Ever

New York Knicks fans have waited for a very long time to see their team in the NBA Finals. With Jalen Brunson's emergence, that wait is finally over. For the first time since 1999, the team will compete for a title in the Finals.

Surely, the multitude of home court fans would love nothing more than to support their team. However, not everyone will get the chance to do so live. That's because of the record-setting ticket prices at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks will start the series on the road, since both the OKC Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs have better records. The series will only shift to New York for Games 3 and 4, and the cost of those tickets reportedly starts at $3,400.

Those, of course, are the seats located further from the court. Seats closer to the action cost exponentially more, with some reaching prices north of 100k.

At the time of writing, the cheapest seat for Game 3 is worth $3,413. The ticket prices soar for Game 4. If the Finals reach 6 games, those ticket prices are likely to increase again. These ticket prices set a record as the most expensive in league history.

For the die-hard fans who have been waiting since 1999, though, paying over $3,400 might just be worth it.

While the ticket prices have already been determined, the Knicks' opponents are yet to be decided. The Spurs-Thunder series is going to a Game 6, with OKC up 3-2.

OKC has a chance to put the Spurs away for good on May 28 in San Antonio. If the Spurs pull out a win, though, the series will be decided on Saturday.

Regardless of how many more games it takes to finish the Western Conference Finals, the first Game of the NBA Finals is set to take place on June 4.

Whichever Western team reaches the Finals will face a well-rested Knicks squad led by Jalen Brunson, their unequivocal leader.

Jalen Brunson Took a Massive Paycut to Help the Knicks Reach This Point

One of the biggest challenges modern teams face when constructing a roster is financial restraints. However, Jalen Brunson's decision when signing an extension has helped the New York Knicks mitigate this.

In 2024, Brunson was eligible to sign an extension. At that point, he was already an All-Star, an All-NBA candidate, and was even being mentioned in some MVP conversations. Based on his play, he was eligible to sign a contract worth over $200 million had he waited until 2025 to sign.

Despite that, he opted to sign an extension with the Knicks worth $156 million. In effect, he took a $113 million pay cut by signing a year earlier.

While it might have been a head-scratching move to some, the effects are certainly felt now. The Knicks have assembled one of the deepest rosters, led by Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

They field a supporting cast that consists of OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and Mitchell Robinson. They have flamethrowers off the bench like Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado.

On paper, they have the depth to beat any team and reach the NBA Finals. Based on how they've performed in the playoffs, they've utilized the flexibility that Brunson has afforded them very well.

If this squad ends up hoisting a championship banner, Brunson's decision will be remembered as one of the most selfless acts by a superstar in recent memory.