New York NBA Basketball 2025-2026: Tickets and Best Prices

One of the most thrilling spectacles you can experience in the United States is an NBA match. Whether it’s because basketball is your passion or because you want to experience the excitement and electric atmosphere that this sport creates in New York, it’s a unique experience that you simply must have at least once in your life.

There are two NBA teams in New York: the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. Both compete from October to April in the regular season and from April to June in the playoffs if they qualify. Tickets for the new 2025–2026 season are now on sale. Don’t miss out!

The New York Knicks play at the legendary Madison Square Garden, located in the heart of Manhattan. The team was founded in 1946 and is one of the oldest in the league. Although they have only won two titles (the last one in... 1973!), they are the most famous team in the NBA. What’s more, it’s finally a pleasure to watch them play: last season they reached the play-offs and boast superstars such as point guard Jalen Brunson and starting centre Karl-Anthony Towns.

Top matches of the 2025–26 season: the excitement returns to Madison

Following a spectacular 2024-25 season—with 51 wins, a place in the play-offs and a run to the **Eastern Conference Finals—**the Knicks return hungry for more. The new season kicks off on 21 October 2025, and the arrival of reinforcements such as Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson, alongside the core of Brunson, Bridges and Towns, promises to fill Madison Square Garden with atmosphere and excitement.

Here are the best NBA games at Madison Square Garden for the new season. Don’t miss out on your ticket to experience it!

• 18 April 2026: New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks (Playoffs, first round). The official start of the playoffs at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks, who begin the series as the third seed in the East, with the first game already confirmed for 18 April and a tie that, if it goes the distance, could run until late April or even the first few days of May.
• Late April or early May 2026: New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers or Toronto Raptors (possible conference semi-final). If New York overcome their tie against Atlanta, their next opponent would come from the series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors, in an Eastern Conference semi-final set to begin sometime between late April and early May, already carrying the intensity and significance typical of the big nights of the post-season

The Brooklyn Nets moved to a new home a few years ago and now play at the modern Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. They are rebuilding under coach Jordi Fernández; their key players are Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton, supported by Cam Johnson. Although they rarely start as favourites, a thrilling spectacle is guaranteed nonetheless.

Best matches of the 2025–26 season: a fresh start, promising young talent

With no chance of challenging for the title, the franchise’s focus now shifts to the transfer market, the draft lottery and building the next squad, in an offseason that will be key to defining the next competitive step for the project in Brooklyn.

NBA tickets can be purchased online quickly and easily. Hellotickets has an agreement with the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets to sell their tickets to fans anywhere in the world.

Tickets can also be bought on the day of the match at the ticket offices of major stadiums, such as Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center. However, this is not recommended for several reasons: limited availability, long queues at the ticket windows and you’ll have little choice when it comes to selecting seats.

Prices vary depending on the teams playing, but the average price is approximately €150 per ticket for both the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets. The minimum price is usually €50 for a less important match and a seat far from the court. The maximum price easily exceeds €1,000 for a court-side seat.

It is very important to note that ticket prices change daily, just like the price of a flight ticket. If there is high demand and few tickets remain, the price is higher, whilst if demand is not met, the price will drop.

Prices also fluctuate throughout the season. The Knicks’ Christmas Day games are the most expensive of the year, as the city fills up with international and American tourists wanting to go to Madison Square Garden. However, towards the end of the regular season (April), they tend to be cheaper because fans of both teams prefer to wait for the playoffs.

To save money when buying NBA tickets whilst travelling to New York, it is important to bear in mind that ticket prices change constantly. In other words, prices rise or fall every day depending on demand, just like a plane ticket.

The problem is that the Knicks and the Nets have most of the stadium sold to their season ticket holders before the season even starts. Therefore, tickets often sell out, so demand is always high. With this in mind, there are a few things you can do to save money.

Buy tickets in advance

The most important way to save on NBA ticket prices is to buy tickets as far in advance as possible. Tickets for the Knicks and the Nets go on sale in mid-August, and that is when prices are at their lowest for all matches of the season. If possible, this is the best time to buy them. This is similar to booking a flight or a hotel.

If there are still more than two months to go before the match, ticket prices will have changed, but they won’t have risen significantly yet.

The biggest problem is if there are less than two weeks to go: in that case, you’ll have no choice but to pay a higher price, as there will be high demand and few tickets available.

Choose a less attractive opponent

Another key factor in determining the price of a match is the Knicks’ or Nets’ opponent. A match against one of the league’s top teams or one of the most famous (such as the Lakers) can be up to three times more expensive than a match against a lesser-known team. Obviously, the big games are the ones in highest demand, but if it’s the experience that matters to you and you have some flexibility with the dates, you can save money by attending a less attractive match.

Choose a seat behind the basket

The final tip for saving money is to choose a seat that offers a good experience but isn’t excessively expensive. Seats behind the basket (regardless of whether you’re close to or far from the court) are always cheaper than seats on the side at Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center.

However, the best value-for-money seats are those located in the corners. These tickets offer an acceptable viewing angle and are significantly cheaper than a ticket in the centre of the side.

A New York Knicks ticket costs an average of €148 per ticket. The minimum price is €52 for a less important match towards the end of the season.

The most expensive time of the regular season (before the playoffs) to go and see the Knicks is at Christmas, as this is when demand is highest. If they qualify for the playoffs, the average price ranges from €200 for the first round up to an estimated €1,000 if they reach the NBA Finals.

A ticket for the Brooklyn Nets has an average price of €172 per ticket. The minimum price is €55, if the opposition is unattractive and there is nothing at stake at the end of the regular season, just before the playoffs.

The average cost of a playoff ticket to see the Nets is €225 in the first round and is estimated to cost around €850 if they reach the NBA Finals.

The only way to avoid fake tickets is to buy from official websites, such as Hellotickets. There are websites run by companies selling unauthorised resale tickets. Not all their tickets cause problems, but there is a chance they may be duplicates and, even if you get a refund later, you won’t be able to get into the stadium.

There are also people outside the stadium offering tickets. They don’t do this openly, but walk past fans and discreetly ask if anyone is looking for tickets.

These tickets are always fake. Their modus operandi involves taking you to a secluded spot to collect payment for the tickets in cash. By the time you’ve been turned away at the entrance, that tout will have disappeared with your money.

Your NBA match experience will depend largely on the seat you choose when buying your ticket. Although basketball arenas have a smaller capacity than football stadiums, they are huge venues relative to the size of the court, and a seat in the back rows is actually quite far from the players.

What are the best seats at Madison Square Garden?

The best seats at Madison Square Garden are in sections 1 to 12. In the corners or behind the basket (sections 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9), you experience the game up close and, although you can’t see the play clearly, the experience is fantastic. The 100 sections are also highly rated because they offer the best way to enjoy basketball whilst still being close to the court.

What are the best seats at the Barclays Center?

The best seats at the Barclays Center are in sections 1 to 31. The corner sections offering good value for money and a good view of the game are 3, 13, 19 and 29. It is better to choose one of the back rows in these sections than one of the front rows in the 200s.

When booking tickets on the Hellotickets website, you can view an interactive map and select the seats that interest you most based on how close you want to be to the court. You can check the different prices and see an image to get an idea of the distance to the court.

There are 82 NBA games played in New York from October to April: 41 New York Knicks games at Madison Square Garden and another 41 Brooklyn Nets games at the Barclays Centre. If either team qualifies for the playoffs, the number will be higher.

Yes. During the 2025-2026 NBA season, both the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets will play several home games over the Christmas period. The league schedules fixtures between 20 December and 2 January, so it’s almost certain that at least one game will coincide with your trip.

What’s more, the NBA hosts very special Christmas games, with a unique atmosphere at Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center, making basketball part of the festive experience in New York.

Unfortunately not, as the NBA regular season starts in October and ends in April, and the playoffs finish in June.

If you’re travelling to New York in the summer and want an alternative to the NBA to experience American sport, you can go and watch the New York Yankees or the New York Mets, two baseball teams that are in the middle of their season during the summer. Baseball teams in NYC play loads of matches, so it’s easy to catch one of them. You might not even like baseball, but you’re guaranteed the classic scene of baseball caps, the national anthem and hot dogs.

You can buy tickets for the New York Yankees here and tickets for the New York Mets here.

Alternatively, if you’re travelling at the end of August or in September, the American football season will already have started. The New York Giants and the New York Jets play in New York. There aren’t many matches, but you can check if any dates suit you via this link for Giants tickets and this one for Jets tickets.

The pre-season (early October)

NBA teams play between five and eight pre-season games, usually between the first and third weeks of October, to get in shape for the start of the league.
Buying NBA tickets to watch these games is usually cheaper, although the intensity is lower and many stars play fewer minutes.

The NBA regular season (21 October 2025 – 15 April 2026)

During this period, each team plays 82 matches, roughly one every two days. There are key dates during the regular season that you should mark in your calendar:

NBA Playoffs (18 April – early June 2026)

Following the regular season, the top 16 teams (8 from the Eastern Conference and 8 from the Western Conference) face off in best-of-seven play-offs: quarter-finals, semi-finals and conference finals.

Last season, the New York Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals; the Brooklyn Nets failed to qualify for the play-offs (26-56).

NBA Finals (4–18 June 2026)

With just two teams remaining, the battle for the ring begins. The Finals are played as a best-of-seven series and are the most eagerly anticipated sporting event of the year in the US, alongside the Super Bowl.

Tickets for these games are the most expensive of the entire season and, even so, sell out quickly.

With all this in mind, if you’re travelling to the city before the regular season starts – that is, during the pre-season – I’d advise you to check the teams’ pre-season schedule, as they usually play friendly matches in early October.

However, NBA matches taking place in New York are only guaranteed between October and April. After that, it all depends on whether the New York Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets have managed to qualify for the Playoffs and, ultimately, for the NBA Finals.

The NBA is a very family-friendly spectacle, but when it comes to whether children pay for admission, the truth is that it depends on each team. In the case of the New York Knicks, Madison Square Garden’s policy states that children aged two and over must have their own ticket.

As for the Brooklyn Nets, according to the Barclays Centre’s policy for all sporting events, children up to 34 inches tall (86.36 centimetres) can enter the Barclays Centre for free but must share a seat with an adult who holds a ticket and is accompanying them. Any child who does not meet this height requirement will need a ticket to enter the stadium and must occupy their own seat with a ticket.

If you are going to the stadium with children under two years of age, bring proof of the children’s age with you in case you are asked for it at the entrance. Valid forms of identification include a birth certificate or a passport.

When to go to the stadium?

NBA days in New York are experienced in a special way. You can feel it in the atmosphere and there’s more hustle and bustle on the streets than usual in the Big Apple. My advice is not to arrive at the last minute. Inside the stadium there are fast-food outlets, snack bars and souvenir shops you can browse whilst you wait, and besides, you don’t want to miss the national anthem.

Madison Square Garden is in the heart of Manhattan, so you can walk there if you’re having a stroll in the area after visiting another nearby tourist attraction. On the other hand, getting to the Barclays Centre will take a bit longer if you’re using public transport, so it’s best to factor in traffic or rush hour to ensure you arrive at the stadium without rushing. Here’s the New York subway guide.

On match day, I recommend arriving at least an hour early so you can take your time, go through security, find your seats, soak up the pre-match atmosphere with the music and the cheerleaders’ dances, listen to the US national anthem before the match starts, and watch the players take to the court. It’s like something out of a film!

Can you bring rucksacks or cameras?

According to Madison Square Garden’s policy, bringing unnecessary rucksacks or bags into the stadium is discouraged. All items will be subject to strict security checks, which may delay entry to the stadium. Furthermore, the use of video cameras, audio recording devices, professional cameras (including those with telephoto or zoom lenses), selfie sticks or tripods is not permitted.

As for the Barclays Centre, according to its access policy, backpacks or bags larger than 10”x6”x2” or with rigid sides will not be permitted. Professional camera equipment, audio and/or video recording devices, selfie sticks and tripods are also prohibited.

Where to eat before or after the match?

There are plenty of food and drink stalls inside the stadium, but prices are considerably higher than outside. For example, a bottle of water can cost around $5, a hot dog about $7 and a soft drink approximately $6.50.

As you’re not allowed to bring your own food or drink into the stadium, my advice is that if you’re hungry before the game starts, you should buy a bite to eat at one of the restaurants around Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center, such as Shake Shack or Five Guys. Or you could wait until the match is over to head there, celebrate your team’s victory and treat yourself.

Although the NBA is one of the most popular sports in the world, last-minute questions can always arise.

How long does an NBA match last?

Officially, it lasts 48 minutes (four quarters of 12 minutes each), but between breaks, time-outs and the half-time interval, most matches usually last two hours or more. After the first two quarters, there is a 15-minute half-time break, which you can use to grab a bite to eat or go to the toilet.

I don’t have an internet connection in New York! How do I access my tickets?

If you don’t have an internet connection during your trip to New York, you can always use the one at the hotel where you’re staying and open your tickets there so they’re ready on your mobile when you arrive at the venue. You can also go to any public place, such as a café or restaurant near the stadium, as they have free WiFi.