Hochul had quipped that the president should be asked to name the starting lineup from the "1993 championship," a line that left fans puzzled because the 1993 Knicks were not title winners. Observers debated whether her remark was a gaffe or intentional shade.
The Knicks clinched the Eastern Conference in a sweep of the Cavaliers, reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Trump, a Queens native, said he planned to attend the Finals, while figures from across the political spectrum — including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and sports commentators — weighed in on the back-and-forth.