Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni cheer Knicks courtside at NBA finals

Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni brought their longtime on-screen chemistry to real-life courtside energy on Monday night as they attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden.

The longtime friends and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit co-stars were seen cheering enthusiastically during the Knicks’ first NBA Finals home game since 1999, joining a star-studded crowd for the high-stakes matchup on June 8, 2026.

Despite the home-court energy and celebrity support, the Knicks fell short in a close contest, losing 115–111 to the Spurs.

During the game, Hargitay and Meloni were spotted on the Jumbotron sharing a hug and loudly chanting “Go Knicks!”, drawing cheers from the packed arena.

Hargitay, a known Knicks superfan, was also seen standing courtside with her arms raised in support, while Meloni remained seated, closely following the action on the court.

The matchup drew a major celebrity turnout, including filmmaker Spike Lee, comedian Tracy Morgan, actor Timothée Chalamet, and actor Ben Stiller, along with music icon Jay-Z. High-profile political figures were also noted in attendance across the arena.

Ahead of the game, Hargitay appeared on NBC’s Today show, where she praised Knicks star Jalen Brunson, calling him an inspiration and crediting his mindset for helping her prepare for her Broadway performance in Every Brilliant Thing.

“I just thought about him and his inspiration and his humility and his work ethic,” she said, adding that Brunson embodies the idea that “you can do hard things.”

Brunson, 29, later revealed that Hargitay had reached out to him after Game 1 to congratulate the team on their earlier win, further highlighting the growing connection between the actress and the Knicks organization.

Game 4 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, at Madison Square Garden.