Ben Stiller's Met Gala choice sparks Knicks feud with Dave Portnoy
The New York Knicks have reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year. This time, their run has sparked a playful feud between actor Ben Stiller and sports commentator Dave Portnoy over missed games and celebrity priorities.
The debate began when Stiller chose the Met Gala over attending the Knicks’ opening playoff match against the Philadelphia 76ers. On May 4, 2026, the Knicks faced the 76ers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. That same night, Ben Stiller walked the Met Gala red carpet instead of cheering from Madison Square Garden. The actor had earlier narrated a hype video for the team, showing his support in the lead-up to the series.
Dave Portnoy, a die-hard Boston Celtics fan, took to social media to tease Stiller for skipping the game. His joke gained extra bite after his own team, the Celtics, were knocked out by the 76ers in the previous round. Stiller fired back with a tweet reading ‘Enjoy the ECF’ and a palm tree emoji—a nod to Portnoy’s recent vacation.
Meanwhile, actor Timothée Chalamet made the opposite choice, attending the Knicks game while his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, was at the gala. The Knicks are aiming to go further than last year, when they fell to the Indiana Pacers in six games during the same stage of the playoffs. The Knicks now focus on their series against the 76ers, with Game 1 already played. Stiller’s absence at the opener became a talking point, while Portnoy’s playful jab highlighted the rivalry between fanbases. The team’s back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals mark their strongest playoff run in years.
