Spike Lee Says Issue Is with James Dolan, Not Knicks in IG Post on MSG Drama

Director and longtime New York Knicks fan Spike Lee took to Instagram on Saturday to clarify his stance on the Knicks after an incident at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

In a lengthy post, Lee noted his issue is with Knicks owner James Dolan and not the team:

"I Have [Nothing] But [Love] For The Players On Da New York Knickerbockers. Don't Git It Twisted. This Is Between Me And Dolan,Like Da KnuckleRings Our Brother RADIO RAHEEM Wore In DO THE RIGHT THING-LOVE versus hate. ... Orange And Blue Skies Forever."

Prior to Monday's game between the Knicks and Houston Rockets, Lee was denied access to the court via an employee entrance and was instead asked to enter through a VIP entrance. He explained what happened during an appearance on ESPN's First Take:

Lee noted he had been using the employee entrance for many years and had never been told to use a different one. He also took issue with being asked to exit the arena and reenter since his ticket had already been scanned.

As a result of the snafu, Lee said he would not attend another Knicks game for the remainder of the season:

After Lee's appearance on First Take, the Knicks stated Lee had been asked to use the VIP entrance on multiple occasions and that he agreed to do so during a conversation with Dolan:

Lee is perhaps the best-known Knicks fan, and he has stuck with the team through thick and thin. Things have mostly been thin in recent years, as New York has not reached the playoffs since 2012-13 and will miss out for the seventh consecutive season with a 19-44 record.

Dolan has come under fire from the fanbase over the past few years because of the team's performance as well as some of his decisions, including having former Knicks player Charles Oakley arrested and banned from Madison Square Garden in 2017.

With Leon Rose as the new team president, the organization is undergoing some changes in hopes of being more competitive next season and beyond.