Madison Square Garden waited 27 years for the NBA Finals to come back. Victor Wembanyama made sure the night did not go the way New York had planned.
The 7-foot-4 French center delivered 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists as the San Antonio Spurs handed the New York Knicks their first loss in 46 days, winning 115-111 to cut the series deficit to 2-1. The Knicks’ 13-game winning streak—the second-longest in NBA postseason history—is over. So is any talk of a sweep.
“At home, it really feels like playing six against five,” Wembanyama said. “Here, it feels like five against six. It really shows what teams are made of.”
He showed plenty of his own. Wembanyama, whose late turnover in Game 2 cost San Antonio dearly, was precise and purposeful from the opening tip. He dunked for the Spurs’ first two baskets of the night and helped San Antonio build a double-digit lead just four and a half minutes in. The Spurs made 9 of their first 11 shots. The Knicks were frustrated, sloppy, and chasing the game before it had barely started—down 33-22 after one quarter as a sold-out Garden crowd that included Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, and President Donald Trump sat largely in silence.
Spurs Weather Knicks Early
New York stirred. OG Anunoby’s three-pointer capped an 11-2 run that dragged the Knicks back into it, and Jalen Brunson’s pull-up jumper gave New York its first lead of the game as part of a strong finish to the half. The Knicks led 64-57 at the break and the building finally had something to cheer about.
It did not last. The Spurs reclaimed the lead in the third quarter and never really let go. Stephon Castle‘s three-pointer with 1:53 remaining put San Antonio up 111-104, and though Anunoby hit a triple to make it a two-possession game in the final seconds, Castle iced it with 2 free throws with 6.8 seconds left.
Castle finished with 23 points. De’Aaron Fox hit big shots when San Antonio needed them. But it was Wembanyama’s 10 points in the fourth quarter—calm, efficient, and mostly unbothered—that built just enough of a cushion to survive Brunson’s latest comeback attempt.
Brunson finished with 32 points. Anunoby added 28. But Karl-Anthony Towns was held to 11, and Mikal Bridges was hampered by foul trouble—and a team that had rolled through the Eastern Conference with massive scoring margins found itself struggling for long stretches in the biggest home game it had played in a generation.
Mike Brown Has Gripe
Knicks coach Mike Brown pointed to San Antonio’s 24-8 free throw attempt advantage in the second half as a source of frustration. But he kept the bigger picture in view.
“I tell the guys, it’s a seven-game series for a reason,” Brown said. “They are a great team. They are well-coached. They have an iconic player. It’s not going to be easy.”
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson was measured about what his team had just done—and what it still needs to do.
“I’m sure Victor has numerous sources of motivation,” Johnson said. “I don’t think any of us are surprised or expect anything different than a strong performance.”
The Knicks’ previous loss was a one-point defeat to the Atlanta Hawks on April 23. They had won 13 straight since. The street greeting “Knicks In Four” had become a genuine part of New York’s daily vocabulary. None of that applies now. The series goes to Game 4 on Thusday in New York, with San Antonio guaranteed at least one more home game in Game 5 on Sunday.
No NBA team has ever come back from 0-3 in the Finals. The Spurs are 1-2. Wembanyama just made sure that math stays relevant.
