Mariska Hargitay Dashes to Knicks Game After Broadway Performance

NEW YORK — Mariska Hargitay, the beloved actress and avid supporter of the New York Knicks, made an impressive 10-block run from her Broadway show “Every Brilliant Thing” to attend an exhilarating Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. “I took four minutes off the running time of my show, and I knew the traffic would be crazy, so I sprinted from the Hudson Theater on 44th and 6th to MSG,” she recounted to The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday.

Hargitay sported a pair of Jalen Brunson's Kobe 5 Protos, a gift from the Knicks player himself, which gave her confidence for the sprint. However, she admitted, “the 10-block sprint after a two-show day was no joke.” Her enthusiasm for the Knicks is well-known, and she has formed a close friendship with Brunson, highlighted by their postgame embraces. Brunson, in turn, has mentioned that watching “SVU” episodes is part of his pregame routine, expressing his admiration for Hargitay when they first met.

By the time the Knicks pulled off a thrilling comeback to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106, Hargitay appeared to have recovered from her dash. She leaped from her courtside seat in excitement as OG Anunoby scored the game-winning basket with just 1.2 seconds remaining. In a video shared by ESPN, she was seen in disbelief, alternately clutching her heart and covering her face in shock, prompting the network to caption it, “Someone check on Mariska’s heart.”

Reflecting on the nail-biting game, Hargitay declared it might have surpassed her wedding night in terms of excitement. “I love my husband, and our wedding night was great and all, but I think it might have been the greatest night of my life,” she said. She described the intense atmosphere, noting, “To see that look in Jalen’s eyes — there are just endless life lessons in there,” and marveled at the chaotic celebration that followed the victory. “It’ll get replayed again and again, not just as an epic moment in basketball, but on the highlight reel of the best moments in sports,” she added, capturing the essence of her love for the team and the city.