Esiason and McAfee Critique Celebrity Presence at Knicks Playoff Games

The New York Knicks face elimination in the NBA Playoffs, and Boomer Esiason has a theory: the celebrity fans sitting courtside are part of the problem.

On his radio show, the former quarterback criticized high-profile attendees like Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee, and Ben Stiller, who have been prominently featured during the Knicks' Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. “I think [the Knicks] are sick and tired of all the damn celebrities at home,” Esiason remarked just before Game 4. “They’d rather get away from all that.”

At Madison Square Garden, the Knicks have struggled, posting a 3-5 record during the 2025 playoffs, while they fared better on the road with a 6-2 record. The celebrity distractions were evident as they traveled to Indiana for Game 4, which ended in a 130-121 loss for New York.

Pat McAfee, ESPN’s outspoken host, rallied the Indiana crowd before the game, calling out the celebrity fans with enthusiasm. “We got some bigwigs from the big city in the building,” he shouted in a pregame segment displayed on the jumbotron. “Let’s send these sons of bitches back to New York with their ears ringing! Let’s turn this s*** up.”

Julius Randle, a former Knick now with the Minnesota Timberwolves, shared insights about the intense pressure of playing in New York in a Yahoo Sports article. “It ain’t fun, it ain’t fun,” he stated. “You can’t really focus on the game; you’re focused on everything else other than the game itself. You’re living and dying with every single shot, every single turnover, every single loss. It’s not a fun way to play.”

Players are aware of the challenges that come with competing in the nation’s largest sports market, especially for a franchise that hasn’t claimed a championship since 1973. The presence of celebrities is nothing new; Spike Lee has been a fixture at Madison Square Garden since the 1990s.

Lee was notably involved during the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals when he heckled Pacers star Reggie Miller, who scored 39 points in Game 5. As Indiana staged a dramatic comeback, Miller famously gestured at Lee, adding to their storied history.

Despite their competitive past, Lee insists there’s no animosity between him and Miller. “That stuff is two-plus decades old,” he told the New York Post on May 6. “There’s no rivalry between Reggie and I. It’s all love.”

With Game 5 set for Thursday night in New York, it’s likely that the celebrity presence will be as prominent as ever.