Wembanyama lifts Spurs past Knicks in Game 3

Victor Wembanyama gave San Antonio the answer it needed at Madison Square Garden, scoring 32 points as the Spurs beat the New York Knicks 115-111 on Monday night to cut their NBA Finals deficit to 2-1.

The 7-foot-4 center added eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks in his first Finals victory, helping San Antonio avoid a 3-0 hole that no NBA team has ever escaped. The Spurs can even the best-of-seven series Wednesday night in New York, with Game 5 scheduled for Saturday in San Antonio.

“I’m sure Victor has numerous sources of motivation,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “I don’t think any of us are surprised or expect anything different than a strong performance.”

Stephon Castle scored 23 points with five rebounds and five assists, providing crucial support for San Antonio. De’Aaron Fox also delivered late, hitting a stepback jumper in the final seconds to push the Spurs ahead by five before Castle sealed the win with two free throws with 6.8 seconds remaining.

The loss snapped the Knicks’ 13-game winning streak, the second-longest in NBA postseason history, and ended a 46-day run without a defeat. New York had not lost since April 23, a one-point defeat to the Atlanta Hawks, before winning three straight against Atlanta, sweeping Philadelphia and Cleveland, and taking the first two games of the Finals in San Antonio.

The Knicks still lead the series, but they missed a chance to move within one win of their first championship since 1973. Their first home NBA Finals game since 1999 drew a packed, high-security crowd that included President Donald Trump, who was loudly booed when shown during the national anthem, as well as Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Ben Stiller, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan and Spike Lee.

“At home, it really feels like playing six against five. Here, it feels like five against six,” Wembanyama said. “It really shows what teams are made of.”

San Antonio began fast. Wembanyama dunked for the Spurs’ first two baskets, and the visitors made nine of their first 11 shots while building a double-digit lead less than five minutes into the game. The Spurs led 33-22 after the first quarter.

New York responded in the second. OG Anunoby’s 3-pointer capped an 11-2 surge that cut the deficit to 40-38, and Jalen Brunson later hit a 26-footer for the Knicks’ first lead. New York outscored San Antonio 42-24 in the quarter and led 64-57 at halftime after completing a 19-point turnaround.

But the Spurs regained control after the break. The Knicks managed 47 points in the second half, and The Guardian reported that Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges combined for only four points after halftime. Towns finished with 11 points, while Bridges dealt with foul trouble.

Brunson led New York with 32 points, and Anunoby scored 28. Brunson repeatedly pushed the Knicks back into contention late, including a 3-pointer that cut the deficit to three in the final minute. Anunoby then hit a corner 3 off an inbounds pass to make it a two-point game with 9.4 seconds left.

Castle’s free throws ended the scoring, and Bridges missed a 3-pointer at the top of the key on New York’s last meaningful chance.

Knicks coach Mike Brown questioned the officiating after San Antonio held a 24-8 advantage in second-half free throws.

“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.”

The result continued a rare Finals pattern: for just the second time, the road team has won the first three games of an NBA Finals, according to The Guardian. The first came in 1993, when the Phoenix Suns lost the first two at home to the Chicago Bulls before winning Game 3 on the road.