Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominant performance Monday night, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-111 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Wembanyama finished with 32 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, helping San Antonio avoid a potentially season-ending 3-0 deficit. The win cuts New York’s series lead to 2-1 and keeps alive the Spurs’ hopes of becoming the first team in NBA history to win the Finals after losing the first two games at home.
The loss snapped the Knicks’ 13-game postseason winning streak, the second-longest in NBA playoff history, and spoiled the franchise’s first NBA Finals home game since 1999. New York had not lost in 46 days and was seeking to move within one win of its first championship since 1973.
San Antonio received additional support from Stephon Castle, who scored 23 points, while De’Aaron Fox delivered key baskets late in the fourth quarter.
For New York, Jalen Brunson scored 32 points and OG Anunoby added 28. Knicks coach Mike Brown expressed frustration with the officiating after San Antonio held a 24-8 advantage in second-half free-throw attempts.
Despite the setback, Brown remained confident in his team.
“It’s a seven-game series for a reason,” Brown said. “They are a great team. They are well-coached. It’s not going to be easy.”
Game 4 is set for Wednesday night in San Antonio, where the Spurs will attempt to even the series at two games apiece.