The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t going to allow New York’s celebrity row to commandeer their Rocket Arena courtside seats in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.Not Fat Joe, and not even Spike Lee.The rapper, whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, went on ESPN’s “NBA Today” in Cleveland before the game and said the organization revoked his ticket once it found out the purchaser was a known Knicks supporter.“We had bought some courtside tickets to the game, and once they found out it was superfan Fat Joe, they were like, I can’t sit courtside. New York Knicks fans can’t sit courtside,” he said. “They took the tickets away courtside after we purchased it, so shame on you all.”Spike Lee was also seen at the game in the second row, in what appeared to be a deliberate strategy from Cleveland to reserve the premier seats exclusively for Cavaliers fans. The organization did not immediately respond to an email request for comment from The Athletic. Other Knicks fans on Twitter also lamented the Cavaliers’ efforts to limit the purchasing power of traveling Knicks fans. Jason Calacanis, a New York-based entrepreneur, posted on Twitter that Cleveland fans were forced to sign documentation stating they would not resell their courtside tickets to Knicks fans or face stern repercussions.
Fat Joe says Cavaliers revoked his ticket to Game 4 vs. Knicks: ‘Shame on you all’
The Knicks are averaging 138 points per game and a 39.3-point average margin of victory in their three series-clinching wins this postseason
TL;DRAI
The Cleveland Cavaliers revoked rapper Fat Joe's courtside tickets for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals after identifying him as a Knicks supporter, while owner Dan Gilbert required fans to sign DocuSign agreements prohibiting resale to visiting fans under threat of lifetime ban. The Knicks swept Cleveland 130-93 regardless, with New York celebrities including Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet in attendance — the franchise's first NBA Finals berth since 1999 now within reach.
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