New York Knicks

Karl-Anthony Towns was more concerned about his former team than Billie Eilish performing her ass off right in front of him ... 'cause the New York Knicks star was caught watching the Timberwolves' preseason game right in the middle of her concert!!

KAT and his girlfriend, Jordyn Woods, swung by night one of the "Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour" stop at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday ... and at one point in the set, he whipped out his phone to check out some NBA action.

Interestingly enough, Towns was glued to the Wolves' 123-125 loss to the Chicago Bulls during Billie's rendition of "Bury a Friend" ... and the hilarious moment was posted to Woods' Instagram story.

Erik and Lyle Menendez are experiencing newfound fame behind bars thanks to the popular Netflix series about the gruesome murders of their parents ... and there's a weird request that keeps coming up in the fan mail that's been pouring in, TMZ has learned.

A source with knowledge at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego tells TMZ ... the infamous Menendez brothers have seen a "huge" increase in mail from fans (and, of course, some haters) thanks to wild interest in Netflix's "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story."

Perhaps the most interesting item the brothers are being sent ... 1990-91 Hoops Mark Jackson NBA cards -- the brothers are on the card, snapped sitting in the Knicks crowd, after the murders, before their arrests -- and people want 'em autographed.

Julius Randle's wife is opening up on the blockbuster trade that sent her husband to Minnesota in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns ... saying she's actually excited for the change of pace in a much smaller city.

Kendra Randle took to her TikTok to talk all about the chaos the family has gone through over the past 72+ hours ... revealing they flew out to Minneapolis immediately to try and find a house and school for their kids, seven-year-old Kyden and two-year-old Jaycey.

"It is pretty hectic," she said. "I'm really grateful that it's actually not in the middle of the season, like, before the tradeline, or whatever. But, it has been pretty crazy for our first time and unexpected."

The sports world is mourning the passing of NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo ... and some basketball figures gave their reactions in real time at media day activities on Monday -- including Raptors team president Masai Ujiri, who was devastated by the news.

The longtime exec. went before reporters to passionately explain how much Mutombo meant not just to him and the sport ... but to the world.

"It's really hard to believe," he said as he held back tears. "It's hard for us to be without [Dikembe Mutombo]. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. It's a tough one."

If basketball ends anytime soon for NBA star Tyrese Haliburton ... he's clearly got a career in the wrestling world -- as during another WWE appearance on Tuesday, he played the heel role perfectly, taking a swipe at Orlando Magic fans!!

The 24-year-old Indiana Pacers forward stopped by NXT -- the company's developmental brand -- in Orlando with initial goals of helping set up a match contract between Trick Williams and Ethan Page.

Haliburton wasn't alone, though ... he rolled to the squared circle with a ton of his Pacers teammates -- and when the Florida fans weren't happy to see him, he showed off his villain skills on the mic.

Jerry Ferrara has a long list of names he wants to have appear on his new "Throwbacks" sports podcast with Matt Leinart ... but there's one person he's got highlighted at the very top of it -- New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson.

TMZ Sports spoke with the former "Entourage" and "Power" actor about his project with the Heisman Trophy winner ... and he's excited to chat weekly with his cohost about all things sports and life in general.

Ferrara explained it's not going to be all Xs and Os -- he's going to give the perspective of a true sports fan ... as he has a lifetime of experience from cheering for his beloved Yankees, Giants and Knicks.

NBA guard Cameron Payne dialed 911 just before he was arrested in Arizona last month ... and in a tense conversation with dispatch, he said his name was "Terry Johnson."

The chat with the Scottsdale Police Department -- which lasted more than five minutes -- happened on June 14 at around 2:30 AM ... after the 29-year-old hooper said he had gotten into a verbal dispute with his girlfriend.

Initially, you can hear in audio of the call -- obtained by TMZ Sports -- that Payne wanted officers to come to his house ASAP. But, in an ensuing back and forth with dispatch, Payne pled with the official to drop the matter.

Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart showed love to the diehard Knicks fans -- who ride for their squad, win or lose -- after the season-ending game 7 defeat to the Pacers ... showing love to droves of NYK supporters hanging out around the Garden after the game!

Of course, the Knicks and Pacers were tied at 3 games each heading into Sunday's deciding contest. Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton went off, knocking down six threes, and shooting 67% as a team, ending the season for the beaten-up Knicks.

Despite the L in the crucial game, Knicks fans still posted up at The Garden ... and Brunson -- who suffered a fractured left hand during the game -- got out of his car to shake hands with the crowd.

"We killed [Reggie Miller at The Garden.] The whole crowd, 20,000 people. 'F you, Reggie.' I ain't gonna lie, I might have been in on the chat."

That's New York legend, and forever Knicks superfan, Fat Joe ... recounting the insanely loud chant directed at the Pacers legend as game 2 came to a close, and the NY K took a 2-0 series lead.

58-year-old Miller was part of the ESPN broadcast ... and the Hall of Famer wasn't shy, continually taking jabs at Knicks fans throughout the game, reminding the MSG faithful that he "owned" NYC.

There were nearly 20,000 people screaming the f-word at Reggie Miller on Wednesday night ... but just in case he didn't hear it, Knicks star Josh Hart told him all about it -- repeating the obscenity to the Indiana legend on a hot mic!

The hilarious moment happened at the end of New York's playoff victory over the Pacers ... when fans at Madison Square Garden ribbed Miller, who was helping broadcast the game for TNT, with a "F*** you, Reggie" chant.

The Knicks supporters -- still clearly salty over the way the Hall of Famer tortured them during his playing days some three decades ago -- really let the former Pacers sharpshooter have it ... filling MSG with the shout loudly for several moments.

Action Bronson says the best way to enjoy his KnicksTape is blunted on reality ... totally enhancing his courtside experience!!! 😵‍💫

We caught Mr. Bam Bam Baklava at LAX proudly waving the NYK banner, and he owned up to his viral moments of being completely blitzed inside Madison Square Garden.

No regrets for the Queens MC ... Action tells us that being stoned while sitting so close to the team's huddle gives his brain the 3D effect -- it's like Knicks HC Tom Thibodeau is drawing up plays from a spaceship!!!

Willis Reed, Walt Clyde Frazier, and Patrick Ewing are generally considered the greatest Knicks ever, but the trio of Hall of Famers may have to slide over ... 'cause diehard NYK fan, Fat Joe, says Jalen Brunson's on the verge of being the G.O.A.T.!

"[Jalen's] so close to being the greatest Knick ever," Crack told Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs nightly on FS1), adding ... "So close, and in such short time."

Of course, the hip-hop superstar grew up in The Bronx, New York, and has been a loyal Knicks fan through the good, and unfortunately for New Yorkers, many bad times in his 5 decades as an NYK supporter.

Saquon Barkley's goin' in on New York fans who were irked at his presence at the 76ers vs. Knicks game in Philadelphia Thursday night, with the NFL star telling the supporters of his former team to get over him jumping ship!

"It’s been two months… lol no way ya can still be this mad! Mf can’t even go to a basketball game 😂😂😂," 27-year-old Barkley tweeted on X after he was heckled for attending the game at the Wells Fargo Center in the City of Brotherly Love, where he sat courtside with Eagles WR A.J. Brown.

Of course, Barkley -- drafted by the G-Men in 2018 -- signed with the Eagles ... the Giants hated rivals, this offseason.

The birds were flyin' at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday ... all thanks to diehard Knicks fan Tracy Morgan, who couldn't help but share his frustrations with Sixers star Tyrese Maxey by giving him the finger!!

The hilarious (not so much for New York fans) moment went down in the closing seconds of the Knicks' Game 5 matchup against Philadelphia ... when the former Kentucky Wildcat pulled up from behind the arc to tie things up at 97.

The shot completed the Sixers' late-game push ... coming back from down six in the last 30 seconds to force overtime.

The Wells Fargo Center looked and sounded more like Madison Square Garden on Sunday ... 'cause Knicks fans took over the Sixers' arena for Game 4 of their NBA Playoff series -- and Joel Embiid's pissed!

The Knicks beat the Sixers, 97-92, taking a 3-1 series lead ... and their fanbase let their presence be known.

During the live broadcast, you could hear the Knicks faithful cheering -- louder than the Sixers fans -- as the Knicks won the pivotal game behind Jalen Brunson's epic 47-point performance.

Kelly Oubre Jr. lost a playoff game Monday night and then he lost his beloved car ... TMZ Sports has learned he wrecked his Lamborghini in a crash just hours after the Sixers fell to the Knicks in Game 2 of their postseason series.

The Philadelphia Police Dept. tells us the wreck happened at around 1:45 AM on Tuesday ... shortly after Oubre and the 76ers dropped a heartbreaker at Madison Square Garden, 104-101.

Cops say Oubre's 2021 matte purple Lambo "disregarded a red traffic signal" ... and plowed into a 2023 Hyundai Elantra.