When New York Knicks superfan Timothée Chalamet and his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, took their seats in Cleveland for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the power couple were noticeably removed from their usual courtside vantage point.
As it turns out, the Cleveland Cavaliers organization took preventive steps to help make sure Rocket Arena didn’t turn into Ohio’s own version of Madison Square Garden, which meant Chalamet, 30, and Jenner, 28, were forced to sit in the second row behind a barrier of Cavs fans for the elimination game on Monday, May 25.
Rapper Fat Joe — a Knicks fan who was also in Cleveland for Game 4 — helped to explain what happened during an interview before tip-off.
“We had bought some courtside tickets to the game and then once they found out it was superfan Fat Joe, they was like, ‘I can’t sit courtside. New York Knicks fans can’t sit courtside,’” Joe, 55, said Monday on ESPN’s NBA Today. “They took the tickets away after we purchased it, so shame on you, Cleveland.”
A spokesperson for the Cavaliers addressed the situation, explaining that “playoff courtside seating is governed by a specific agreement that prohibits the resale or transfer of tickets without approval.”
“All courtside ticket holders are required to comply with the terms of the single-game playoff agreement,” a spokesperson told Us Weekly on Tuesday, May 26.
At least 10 Knicks fans with courtside seats were called by a Cavaliers executive and told they no longer had courtside seats, according to the New York Post. Those fans were reportedly relocated to another section higher in the arena.
When asked about the specific treatment of Chalamet and Jenner, a spokesperson from the Cavaliers said “there will be no further comment.”
Chalamet and Jenner did manage to move to courtside seats during halftime, which meant they had a clear view of the Knicks’ 130-93 destruction of the Cavaliers, earning the franchise its first trip to the NBA Finals since 1999.
New York will face either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder, whose best-of-seven series is currently tied at two games a piece.
As Chalamet and Jenner were making their way inside the arena on Monday night, the actor was asked by ESPN, “What made you want to come to Cleveland?”
“Sweep,” he said.
After Chalamet’s prophecy came true, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert acknowledged his disappointment.
“We took a step ahead this spring, but we are nowhere near where we need to be,” Gilbert, 64, wrote via X on Monday night. “I can’t thank the fans enough for the support this year. We will dig in all summer and do everything we possibly can to take the next step. We will grind until we get there.”
He added, “Congrats to the @nyknicks, and best of luck in the Finals.”
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