What To Know
- Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni enjoyed courtside seats at the Knicks’ first NBA Finals home game since 1999.
- Hargitay expressed admiration for Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.
- The star-studded event at Madison Square Garden included numerous celebrities and public figures, including President Trump.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay and her longtime friend and co-star Christopher Meloni cheered on the New York Knicks from courtside at Madison Square Garden on Monday night (June 8).
The famous duo was shown on the Jumbotron sharing a hug as the Knicks played their first NBA Finals home game since 1999. Even though the Knicks ended up losing 115-111 to the San Antonio Spurs, that didn’t stop Hargitay and Meloni from having a blast.
Hargitay, who was seen jumping out of her seat and shouting “Go Knicks!,” appeared on the Today show ahead of Game 3, where she praised Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson and how he has inspired her.
Mariska and Chris on the jumbotron 🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/GMqukZxsgv
— Summer (@xsummerchildx) June 9, 2026
“I love him,” she told Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager, per People, noting how Bruson’s story helped her find the confidence for her Broadway show, Every Brilliant Thing. “I just thought about him and his inspiration and his humility and his work ethic, to say, ‘You can do hard things. No matter what, you can do hard things,” she said.
Christopher Meloni + Mariska Hargitay!
Let’s Go Knicks!! pic.twitter.com/65XvD3uXM8
— the chris meloni project (@MeloniProject) June 9, 2026
“He is so singular and magnificent. He is a magnificent human,” Hargitay continued, adding that Brunson will be attending her show once the NBA Finals are over.
“Thank you so much.”
A mic’d up OG Anunoby hugs Mariska Hargitay during Game 3! pic.twitter.com/Lcsohvi0Wh
— NBA (@NBA) June 9, 2026
Bruson previously revealed that Hargitay texted him after Game 1, when the Knicks beat the Spurs 105-95. “I don’t really remember, but it was more like ‘Good job, congratulations,’” Brunson told the NBA Today host Malika Andrews on June 4.
The official New York Knicks X account shared a photo of the Law & Order stars at courtside. “DUN DUN,” they captioned the pic, referencing the show’s iconic sting.
DUN DUN. pic.twitter.com/qEr3j3dtOp
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 9, 2026
Hargitay and Meloni were two of many celebrity stars in attendance at Madison Square Garden on Monday evening. Ben Stiller, Jay-Z, Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Morgan were all there watching the game, as well as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump.