Watch the Knicks (and Trump)

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Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Start the day with these stories:

The Israeli military launched strikes on Iran.

A reality TV star lost ground in the LA mayoral race.

A missing Auburn student was found dead in Japan.

Nicole Fallert here, bringing you the news to know on Monday, from the Knicks' (and President Donald Trump's) MSG game tonight to sweltering World Cup host cities.

Tickets drop as Trump plans MSG appearance

President Trump plans to attend Game 3 on Monday at Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks face the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.

Why is Trump coming? At a time when he's deeply unpopular in New York City, Trump is likely going because it presents him with yet another opportunity to build his brand and be seen by more than 10 million people watching at home, presidential historian Matt Dallek told USA TODAY. Due to security concerns, fan watch parties tonight have been canceled, and prices for the cheapest Game 3 ticket have dropped more than 50% in 24 hours.

About the basketball: The Knicks hold a 2-0 lead over the Spurs, and could put themselves on the brink of their first championship in 53 years with a win in Game 3.

Trump walks away from interview: President Trump abruptly ended an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" and walked away after moderator Kristen Welker challenged him about unsubstantiated claims of "cheating" in the California primary elections.

Can Nancy Mace overcome a Trump snub? In the Republican primary for South Carolina governor, Trump has endorsed state Lt. Gov. Sam Evette over Rep. Nancy Mace, who pointed to her push to release the Jeffrey Epstein files as a reason why the president did not back her campaign.

He helped rid a river of toxic chemicals. Then cancer came for him. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, spent more than two years following Scot Meisenheimer's struggle to navigate the workers' compensation process and get Tetra Tech, the company that oversaw his role driving cleanup of the Lower Fox River in Wisconsin, to cover his medical expenses.

The Tony Awards were happy to get lost in magical musical "Schmigadoon!" The new Broadway comedy won four statuettes including best musical at Sunday's ceremony. The telecast was full of mesmerizing performances. See the full list of winners.

Host cities get ready to heat up (literally)

The countdown to the World Cup continues, with Monday marking just three days until the tournament kicks off. The weekend saw a number of World Cup teams in action in friendlies across the globe, while players arrived at U.S. host cities across the country (think Team Spain in Chattanooga). But temperatures across America are heating up as much as the competition, setting the stage for a sweltering tournament for players and fans alike.

You're not dreaming: Parenting is getting harder.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US news today: Trump at Knicks and World Cup in Daily Briefing