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

One of the most fascinating spectacles you can witness in the United States is an NBA game. Whether basketball is your passion or you want to experience the madness and atmosphere that this sport creates in New York, it is a unique sensation that you have to experience 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. Meanwhile, the Liberty New York, who compete in the WNBA, also guarantee a basketball spectacle in the city. Don't miss it!

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 the longest-running team in the league. Although they have only won two titles (the last one in... 1972!), they are the most famous team in the NBA. What's more, it's finally a pleasure to watch them play: last season they made the playoffs and they have superstars such as point guard Jalen Brunson and starting centre Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Brooklyn Nets moved to a new home a few years ago and now play at the modern Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They possibly have the best defensive roster in the NBA with Cam Johnson as the franchise player of the season. Although they are not usually the favourites, the show is equally guaranteed.

Women's basketball has its greatest exponent in New York with the New York Liberty, a team that draws crowds to the Barclays Center. Founded in 1997, it was one of the first eight teams to play in the WNBA.

Finally crowned champions in the 2024 season—and runners-up in the previous season—this promising WNBA team began a new season in May 2025 with high expectations for success and a roster of top-level basketball players.

Best games to see the Liberty in New York [Season 25-26]

You can see the upcoming games at this link. Don't miss out on your tickets! Here are the most anticipated games:

• Tuesday, 5 August 2025: New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings.
• Thursday, 21 August 2025: New York Liberty vs. Chicago Sky.
• Tuesday, 9 September 2025: New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics.

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

Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the game at the box 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 offices and little choice of seats.

The price varies 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 game and a seat far from the court. The maximum price is well over £1,000 for a seat at the edge of the court.

It is very important to note that ticket prices change every day, just like the price of a plane ticket. If there is high demand and few tickets left, the price will be higher, while if demand is low, the price will go down.

Prices also fluctuate throughout the season. The Knicks' Christmas games are the most expensive of the year, as the city is filled with international and American tourists who want to go to Madison Square Garden. However, towards the end of the regular season (April), tickets are usually cheaper because fans of both teams prefer to wait for the playoffs.

In the case of the WNBA and the New York Liberty, prices generally start at around £30 for the cheapest seats and can go up to £150 or more for premium seats near the court. These prices may change depending on the opponent and the stage of the season, such as the playoffs, where prices are usually higher due to higher demand.

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

The problem is that the Knicks and Nets sell most of their tickets to season ticket holders before the season 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 Nets go on sale in mid-August, which is when prices are lowest for all games 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 game, ticket prices will have changed, but they will not have risen significantly yet.

The biggest problem is if there are less than two weeks to go: in that case, you will 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 essential factor in determining the price of the game is who the Knicks or Nets are playing. A game against one of the best teams in the league or one of the most famous (such as the Lakers) can be up to three times more expensive than a game against a lesser 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 your dates, you can save money by attending a less attractive game.

Choose a seat behind the basket

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

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

A ticket for the New York Knicks costs an average of £120 per ticket. The minimum price is £52 for a less important game towards the end of the season.

The most expensive time of the regular season (before the playoffs) to 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 to an estimated £1,000 if they reach the NBA Finals.

A ticket for the Brooklyn Nets has an average price of £150 per ticket. The minimum price is £50 if the opponent is not very attractive 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 £190 in the first round and is estimated to cost around £750 if they make it to 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 that sell unauthorised resale tickets. Not all of their tickets cause problems, but there is a chance that they are duplicates and, even if they refund your money, you will not be able to enter the stadium.

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

These tickets are always fake. They will take you to a secluded place to collect the cash for the tickets. When you are blocked from entering, the scalper will have disappeared with your money.

The NBA game experience will largely depend on the seat you choose when purchasing your ticket. Although basketball stadiums have less capacity than football stadiums, they are huge venues for such a small court, and a ticket in the back rows is really 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 can experience the game up close and, although you can't see the play very well, the experience is fantastic. The 100 sections are also highly rated because they offer the best view of the basketball and are still 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, which offer good value for money and a good view of the game, are 3, 13, 19 and 29. It is preferable to choose one of the last rows in these sections rather than one of the first rows in sections 200.

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 games by the New York Knicks and another 41 games by the Brooklyn Nets. If either team qualifies for the playoffs, the number would be higher.

The WNBA regular season consists of 40 games for each team. The New York Liberty play approximately half of those games at home at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. This means that there are around 20 WNBA games played in New York during the regular season. This number may increase if the team advances to the playoffs and has home-court advantage.

Yes, in fact it's one of the most popular times of the season and the atmosphere is spectacular. The NBA ensures that all teams, including the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets, play several games in their home city during Christmas, so it's almost certain that there will be at least one game during your trip.

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

If you're travelling to New York in the summer and want an alternative to the NBA to experience American sports, you can go and see the New York Yankees or the New York Mets, two baseball teams that are in the middle of their season in the summer. Baseball teams in NYC play a lot of games, so it's easy to catch one. You may not even like baseball, but you're sure to enjoy the typical 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 be underway. New York is home to the New York Giants and the New York Jets. There aren't many games, but you can check if any dates suit you at this link for Giants tickets and this link for Jets tickets.

The New York Liberty do play in the summer

The WNBA regular season generally runs from May to September, which means there are numerous home and away games during the summer months. Games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn offer a great opportunity to see the Liberty in action during this time of year.

The preseason (early October)

NBA teams usually play between five and eight games in the preseason, which typically lasts just over three weeks, to gauge their strength ahead of the start of the league. Buying NBA tickets to see these games is usually cheaper, although it is true that the quality of the games is lower, as the teams are not yet in full swing and often rest their star players.

The NBA regular season (mid-October to early April)

During these months, each team plays 82 games, one every two days. During the regular season, there are several dates that you will want to mark on your calendar because they are important games:

NBA Playoffs (mid-April to early June)

Once the regular season games are over, the 16 best teams in the NBA begin the playoffs for the title: 8 teams from the Eastern Conference and 8 teams from the Western Conference will face each other.

The Playoffs are a best-of-7 series and there are three rounds before reaching the NBA Finals: quarter-finals, semi-finals and conference finals. These playoffs usually last almost two months, and when they are over, only the two conference winners remain to compete in the finals for the NBA title.

Last season, both the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets qualified for the playoffs.

NBA Finals (June)

There can only be one winner. With two teams remaining out of the 16 that made it to the Playoffs, the NBA Finals begin, which are again played in a best-of-seven series. These games are undoubtedly the most anticipated and the best of the year, as they feature the two best teams in the United States.

But, as you might expect, tickets for these NBA games are the most expensive of the entire season. And even so, they sell out quickly because, along with the Super Bowl, it is the sporting event of the year in the United States.

Knowing all of the above, if you are travelling to the city before the regular season starts, i.e. during the preseason, I recommend checking the teams' preseason schedule as they usually play friendly matches in early October.

However, NBA games taking place in New York are only guaranteed between October and April. From then on, it all depends on whether the New York Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets have qualified for the Playoffs and ultimately for the NBA Finals.

The NBA is a very family-friendly event, but when it comes to whether children pay 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 who are two years old or older must have their own ticket.

As for the Brooklyn Nets, according to the Barclays Center for all sporting events, children up to 34 inches tall, or 86.36 centimetres, can enter the Barclays Center for free but must share a seat with a ticketed adult who accompanies them. Any child who does not meet this height requirement will require a ticket to enter the stadium and must occupy only their seat with a ticket.

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

When to go to the stadium?

NBA days in New York are special. You can feel it in the air, and there's more hustle and bustle on the streets than usual in the Big Apple. My advice is not to arrive too close to game time. Inside the stadium, there are fast food outlets, snack bars and souvenir shops where you can browse while you wait, and 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 wandering around the area after seeing another nearby tourist attraction. However, to get to the Barclays Center, you'll need a little more time if you're taking public transport, so it's a good idea to take traffic and rush hour into account so you can get to the stadium without rushing. Here is a guide to the New York underground.

On the day of the game, I recommend arriving at least an hour early so you can take your time, go through the security arch, find your seats, soak up the atmosphere with the music and the cheerleaders' dances, listen to the American national anthem before the game starts and watch the players enter the court. It's like being in a film!

Can you take backpacks or cameras inside?

According to Madison Square Garden policy, backpacks or unnecessary bags are not recommended. All bags will be subject to strict security checks, which may delay entry to the stadium. In addition, video cameras, audio recording devices, professional cameras (including telephoto or zoom lenses), selfie sticks and tripods are not permitted.

As for the Barclays Center, according to its access policy, backpacks or bags larger than 14"x14"x6" or with hard sides will not be allowed. Professional camera equipment, audio and/or video recording devices, selfie sticks and tripods are also not permitted.

Where to eat before or after the game?

There are many food and drink stands inside the stadium, but prices are significantly higher than outside. For example, a bottle of water can cost around £5, a hot dog around £7, and a soft drink around £6.50.

Since you are not allowed to bring your own food or drink into the stadium, my advice is to buy something to eat at one of the restaurants around Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center, such as Shake Sack or Five Guys, before the game starts if you are hungry. Or wait until the game is over to go 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 game last?

Officially, it lasts 48 minutes (four quarters of 12 minutes each), but between breaks, timeouts and half-time, most games usually last two hours or more. After the first two quarters, there is a 15-minute break during which you can buy something 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 connection at your hotel and open your tickets there so that they are ready on your mobile phone when you arrive at the venue. You can also go to any public establishment such as a café or restaurant near the stadium, as they have free WiFi.