Who knew that Mayor Zohran Mamdani would turn into the loudest fan in NYC? The Knicks have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. From publicly hyping Mike Brown’s team to passionately showing up in playoff games, the sports enthusiast has led by example. The Cavaliers initially led 8-2 on Monday. But the visitors roared back, making Rocket Arena feel like Madison Square Garden. New York’s largest lead at one stage was 45! So, it was no surprise when Mamdani took matters into his own hands to trash-talk the opposition.

“.@NYCSanitation I’d like to report a sweep,” Mamdani wrote on X. The tweet gained more than four million views and 200k likes in under 12 hours, perfectly encapsulating the hype as the Knicks completed the sweep. With the 130-93 blowout, Jalen Brunson and Co. also set a franchise record of 11 consecutive playoff victories. Tons of fans had their brooms handy outside MSG, yelling “sweep.” And, funnily enough, alongside thousands of locals responding to Mamdani, NYC Sanitation’s official handle played along.

“CLEAN UP IN CLEVELAND!!” they commented. The busy mayor taking some time off his schedule to witness NBA action isn’t new. But Mamdani’s commitment really stood out during Game 2. He kept his attendance off his public schedule, later posting a photo alongside Public Advocate Jumaane Williams inside the Garden with the caption “Knicks forever.” And while every fan came decked in the city’s blue, the mayor stood out in his formal suit.

A fan sitting in that same section where Mamdani was shared that the tickets had cost $700. Later, though, a City Hall spokesperson confirmed that the mayor had paid for his ticket at “face value.” That said, last month, there was also widespread chatter about the unreasonable prices at the iconic MSG. While the mayor showed immense understanding amid the sensitive situation, he quickly turned that into a lighthearted jab at the city’s ‘villain’.

“I would say that I blame Trae Young, and I think it’s always important to blame Trae Young,” Mamdani quipped. The former Atlanta Hawks guard didn’t hesitate to respond with a contextual reference, saying, “Remember what happened the last time the Mayor of that City had my name in his mouth during a time like this.”

Then-mayor Bill de Blasio publicly took a swipe at Young during the Knicks-Hawks playoff series in 2021. “Message to Trae Young on behalf of the people of New York City, and anyone who cares about actually playing basketball the right way, stop hunting for fouls, Trae,” de Blasio said. Well, the Knicks went on to lose that series in five games. And that’s how Young’s villain arc began.

Pivoting back to Mamdani, though, his lighthearted words on social media have been met with praise from the NYC locals. But as a diehard fan of the franchise, the 34-year-old faces a catch-22 situation involving the safety of his own people.

“Games 1 and 2 have seen progressively more problematic issues at the watch parties outside MSG, six arrests last night alone, so the NYPD will not support more watch parties outside the stadium,” a recent police department statement read. “But we will continue to review requests to support parties at alternate sites, like Summer Stage.” These now-banned watch parties brought fans closer together, especially those who couldn’t spend hundreds of dollars on tickets. Many of them even turned Mamdani’s comment section into a social media petition.

But in reality, the rowdiness has only increased over the last few weeks. Climbing huge billboards, fighting, and kicking fellow fans outside MSG have been a regular sight. Earlier in the postseason, the locals even dropped Knicks legend JR Smith to the floor. It wasn’t necessarily foul play, but just the number of people on a single street turned extremely overwhelming.

And the energy levels were no different on Monday when the party on 7th Avenue continued. The sweeps were out, and some supporters were surfing on a metal fence! Now, imagine what could actually transpire after four more wins. Even Mamdani noted that his city was getting really intense heading into the NBA Finals.

“It’s like, you are torn as the New Yorker and as the Mayor,” Mamdani said. “As a New Yorker, you are like, ‘I can’t wait for this!’ As a mayor, absolute chaos! It’s been a long time. So, you know, it could be the year!”

The Mayor has a tough call to make before the biggest series in recent Knicks history. If the Cavaliers had won Game 4, the Conference semifinals would’ve extended another game, coming back to NYC, and with the in-person watch party outside MSG shut down, it wouldn’t have been a pretty sight.

When reporters had asked Jalen Brunson about this situation, even someone as significant as him didn’t really have an answer. But luckily, Mamdani now has more than a week to sort out the logistical issues. There could be serious safety hazards on the line with the Mayor’s decision.