NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Knicks' abysmal season took yet another unfortunate turn this week after a purported mix-up at Madison Square (NYSE:SQ) Garden led to a public rift with one of the team's most famous and stalwart supporters, director Spike Lee.
The Academy Award winner told ESPN's First Take https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28829234/spike-lee-done-watching-knicks-msg-season on Tuesday that he would not attend another Knicks game at Madison Square Garden this season after an issue with security over the door he used to enter the arena on Monday, saying that the team later tried to "spin" the incident.
The 62-year-old New Yorker eventually reached his regular court side seat to watch the Knicks take on the Houston Rockets. But he told ESPN he objected to how the franchise handled the situation.
"I'm coming back next year, but I'm done for the season," said Lee.
The Knicks responded to his remarks with a critical tweet on Tuesday, saying Lee was creating "this false controversy to perpetuate drama."
The incident clouded an otherwise positive day for the struggling Knicks, one of the worst teams in the National Basketball Association's Eastern Conference, who upset the much stronger Rockets 125-123.
The tweet also said that Lee and Knicks owner James Dolan shook hands at the game and included a photo of the two.