Mariska Hargitay Balances Broadway and NBA Finals
Mariska Hargitay, known for her role in *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*, really seems to have it all figured out. Just after finishing her one-woman show, “Every Brilliant Thing,” she dashed nearly 10 blocks to make it to Game 4 of the NBA Finals on time.
“We trimmed four minutes off the show, but the traffic was going to be a nightmare, so we hurried from the Hudson Theater to Madison Square Garden,” Hargitay shared. She’s a dedicated Knicks supporter, which definitely explains the rush.
“I had on the Jalen Brunson Kobe 5 Protos that Jalen gifted me a few months back, so I felt pretty confident everything would work out fine,” she added.
The matinee performance wrapped up at 2 p.m., followed by an evening show at 7 p.m., just before the Knicks’ big game.
The late performance concluded around 8:27 p.m., a mere three minutes ahead of Game 5’s start. Hargitay managed to slip into the arena just before tipoff and changed into a blue and orange shirt that sported “Stevie Nicks,” coordinating with Taylor Swift, who was also in attendance.
Reflecting on her experiences, Hargitay remarked, “I love my husband, and our wedding night was incredible—it may have been our best night ever.”
She was seen courtside during multiple playoff games, thanks largely to her unexpected connection with Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Interestingly, Brunson grew up watching *SVU* with his father and still tunes in to the show for a calming effect before games.
Having met several players through their friendship, Hargitay was captured in a heartfelt moment, hugging the players after a remarkable victory that marked a historic upset in the Finals.
“It was a tough game—we were down by 29 points at halftime,” she recalled. “But you have to admire how this team fought back and just look into Jalen’s eyes; there are many life lessons to take away from that.”
She enthusiastically described, “And when OG comes charging in with his orange and blue cape, it’s pure chaos. This moment won’t just go down in basketball history; it’s going to be remembered among the greatest sports moments. All I thought was, ‘That just happened!!!’ And then, ‘I adore this team!!!’ and ‘I love this city!!!’”
