The New York Knicks have officially reached a level where even wedding memories are being challenged. At least according to Mariska Hargitay. The Law & Order: SVU star has always been one of the team’s most loyal celebrity supporters, but after witnessing the Knicks pull off one of the most unbelievable comebacks in NBA Finals history, even she struggled to find the right words. In fact, she went so far as to joke that the night may have been better than her own wedding. Speaking exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter after the game, the Law & Order: SVU star made a confession that instantly grabbed headlines.
“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,” Hargitay told The Hollywood Reporter following the Knicks’ dramatic 107-106 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4.
Considering she’s been married to actor Peter Hermann for nearly two decades, that’s about as high a compliment as a sports team can get.
And honestly, if you watched what happened at Madison Square Garden, you can understand the excitement.
The Knicks entered halftime trailing by an astonishing 29 points. Most fans had already started preparing themselves for disappointment. Social media was flooded with frustrated reactions, nervous predictions and people questioning whether the team could recover.
Then something incredible happened.
The Knicks refused to quit.
Led by Jalen Brunson and fueled by a roaring Madison Square Garden crowd, New York slowly clawed its way back into the game. Possession by possession, point by point, the impossible suddenly started looking possible.
The comeback was completed when OG Anunoby delivered the game-winning basket, sending the arena into complete chaos.
For Hargitay, who was sitting courtside alongside celebrities including Taylor Swift, Ben Stiller and Christopher Meloni, it felt like witnessing history in real time.
“The game was so brutal, down 29 at the half, but I’m telling you, to watch this team fight and claw their way back, to see that look in Jalen’s eyes, there are just endless life lessons in there,” she said.
What makes the story even better is how determined Hargitay was to actually make it to the game.
The actress was performing her Broadway show Every Brilliant Thing just minutes before tip-off. Instead of heading home afterward, she reportedly sprinted roughly ten city blocks from the Hudson Theatre to Madison Square Garden in order to catch the action.
Her secret weapon?
A pair of Kobe 5 Protos gifted to her by Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson.
“I knew everything was going to be alright because I was wearing my Jalen Brunson Kobe 5 Protos,” she joked.
Anyone who follows Hargitay knows her admiration for Brunson goes beyond basketball. The actress has repeatedly spoken about their friendship and has described him as a personal inspiration. Earlier this year, she revealed that she leaned on Brunson’s work ethic and mentality when preparing for her Broadway debut.
“He’s a magnificent human,” she previously said.
The Knicks now lead the NBA Finals 3-1 and sit just one win away from a championship that many fans have spent decades waiting to see.
And if they actually pull it off?
Mariska Hargitay may need to start apologizing to her husband for ranking a basketball game above their wedding night.