Pop superstar Taylor Swift is packing stadiums on the U.S. leg of The Eras Tour, a nearly three and a half hour celebration of the music throughout her career.
It’s been tough to get tickets to one of Swift’s shows, so the fans who were able to snag them feel like the lucky ones. But some professional basketball fans might have bad blood with the singer over claims she’s controlling the NBA playoffs.
Two viral TikToks claim that NBA teams have lost their series and been eliminated from the playoffs if Taylor Swift makes a stop in or near their city on her Eras Tour. A Redditor also theorized that Taylor Swift is "placing a curse on the city while she's in town."
Now, some people online are wondering how Swift’s alleged “curse” on the NBA playoffs will impact the Denver Nuggets’ matchup against the Miami Heat in the finals.
THE QUESTION
Have NBA teams been eliminated in the playoffs if Taylor Swift is playing in or near their city?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, NBA teams have been eliminated in the playoffs if Taylor Swift is playing in or near their city.
WHAT WE FOUND
The results of the NBA playoffs series so far back up the online claims about Swift’s Eras Tour “curse” on professional basketball.
If Swift makes a tour stop in or near a team’s city, they have lost their series and been eliminated from the playoffs.
Here’s a breakdown of the series so far and their ties to Swift’s tour stops.
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks were eliminated from the playoffs on April 27 when they lost Game 6 to the Boston Celtics.
Swift began her Eras Tour stint in Atlanta just one day after the Hawks’ series loss. She performed for three nights at Mercedes-Benz Stadium from April 28-30, a stop that the singer called “insanely magical” in an Instagram post.
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns were eliminated from the NBA playoffs on May 11 when they lost their series 4-2 to the Denver Nuggets.
While Swift didn’t play in Phoenix, she did stop in nearby Glendale, Arizona, nearly two months earlier for the opening weekend of her tour. Swift played two nights at State Farm Stadium on March 17-18.
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks were eliminated from the playoffs after losing Game 6 to the Miami Heat on May 12.
Swift isn’t scheduled to play in New York City on her tour. But she did stop at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, about 30 minutes outside of New York, two weeks after the Knicks’ loss on May 26-28.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers lost their NBA playoffs series 4-3 to the Boston Celtics on May 14 while Swift was in their city.
Swift grew up in West Reading, Pennsylvania, about an hour outside of Philadelphia. She played her “hometown shows” at Lincoln Financial Field from May 12-14.
The popstar again called the Philly shows a “magical” experience in an Instagram post. Coincidence or not?
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics lost their series 4-3 to the Miami Heat on May 29, sending the Heat to the Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
Swift isn’t stopping in Boston on her Eras Tour. But she did play at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., which is located about 30 miles outside of the city.
Her last show in Massachusetts was held on May 21 – about a week before the Celtics’ defeat.
Impact of the ‘curse’ on NBA Finals remains to be seen
So far, Swift’s tour stops seem to correlate to whether a team loses in the NBA playoffs. But only time will tell if the “curse” impacts the NBA Finals.
Swift plays in Denver in mid-July. The city’s NBA team, the Nuggets, are currently facing off against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. Swift will not play in or near Miami on her Eras Tour.
The Nuggets are currently leading the series 2-1 as both teams head into Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday, June 9.
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