Mariska Hargitay Proclaims Knicks' Comeback As Better Than Wedding Night
Not even Olivia Benson could crack the case on how the New York Knicks managed to execute the largest comeback in NBA Finals history at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
Mariska Hargitay, who has played Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" since its 1999 inception, couldn’t believe her eyes. She sat courtside alongside Taylor Swift, Alana Haim, and Este Haim - wearing matching “Stevie Knicks” shirts with Swift - as the Knicks overcame a 27-point halftime deficit to win Game 4 and took a 3-1 series lead.
"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. "The game was so brutal, down [27] 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.”
For reference, Hargitay has been married to actor Peter Hermann since 2004, and they share three teenage children.
Back to the Knicks.
Hargitay continued, “And then OG comes flying in, his orange and blue cape fluttering behind him, and then it’s just pandemonium. It‘ll get replayed again and again, not just as an epic moment in basketball, but on the highlight reel of the best moments in sports. And all I could think was ‘THAT JUST HAPPENED!!!’ And ‘OH MY GOD, I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!’ And ‘OH MY GOD, I LOVE THIS CITY!!!'”
With less than five seconds left in the game, the Knicks trailed 106-105. All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson launched a 3 that clanked off the rim, only for OG Anunoby to fly in out of nowhere and tip in what would be the game winner with 1.2 seconds left.
Afterward, Hargitay bolted onto the court and started hugging Anunoby, Brunson, and anyone she could find who was associated with the Knicks.
The NBA caught her screaming to Brunson, “I love you so much! I’m so happy!”
Hargitay also told The Hollywood Reporter that she sprinted on foot from the Hudson Theater, where she’s starring in “Every Brilliant Thing,” her Broadway debut, to Madison Square Garden for Game 4. She credited “my Jalen Brunson Kobe 5 Protos” she received from Brunson recently as helping her with her 10-block sprint.
Last June, Hargitay appeared on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and explained the origins of her friendship with Brunson.
“They let me know that Jalen was a big fan, and I was so flattered and thrilled because I was such a huge fan,” the Emmy winner said. “I think Jalen grew up on ‘SVU.'”
Meyers noted that Ben Stiller had told hm “celebrities are jealous” of Hargitay because Brunson will only hug her after games, which Hargitay confirmed. Brunson, his wife, Ali, and his father, Rick, supported Hargitay at the Tribeca Festival premiere of her documentary, "My Mom Jayne," last June, too.
Before now, the Knicks had not appeared in the NBA Finals for the entirety of Hargitay’s run on “SVU.” The wait was well worth it, and it will be cemented as one of sports’ great fairytales if the Knicks can win Game 5 on Saturday - or any of the next three games - and claim their first championship since 1973.
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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 4:42 PM.