Washington DC - President Donald Trump said Thursday he plans to attend an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden next week at the invitation of New York Knicks owner James Dolan.

"The answer is yes," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if he would attend.

"He's invited me, I'm going. It could be Monday, yeah... maybe I'll do both."

The Knicks will host the San Antonio Spurs in game three of the best-of-seven championship series on Monday, with game four on Wednesday, June 10.

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Trump's appearance will likely mean much more heightened security in and around the Midtown Manhattan venue.

The Knicks, who are back in the Finals for the first time since 1999 and chasing their first title since 1973, won game one in San Antonio on Wednesday.

It was their 12th straight win of these playoffs, a run that is fueling feverish support in the Big Apple along with astonishing ticket prices for Finals games.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver, speaking at a community event in San Antonio on Thursday, told reporters he was "thrilled" that the president wanted to be a part of it.

"President Trump is very much a New Yorker," Silver said, according to The Athletic. "I'm thrilled another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and joy around this Knicks team."

Silver said that, before Trump ever sought public office, "he was a big Knicks fan.

"I was there at many Knicks games with him in the old days," Silver said, adding that Trump once appeared in an "I Love this Game" NBA promotional spot.

The spot, made in the 2004-05 season, featured multiple celebrities, including Trump playing on his "You're fired" tagline from the reality show The Apprentice.