Victor Wembanyama (C) of the San Antonio Spurs and Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks jump for the opening tip-off of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Photo by Sarah Yenesel/EPA
Victor Wembanyama ensured his 8-foot wing span was a constant presence for the New York Knicks, blockading the paint and leading the San Antonio Spurs to a crucial victory in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday in New York.
The Spurs big man totaled 32 points, with eight rebounds, six assists, three blocks and two steals in the 115-111 victory, which snapped the Knicks’ 13-game postseason winning streak.
“We did what we were supposed to do, but the job is absolutely not done,” Wembanyama said on the ABC broadcast. “We’re not even halfway. The hardest is still to come.”
With their first victory of the best-of-seven game series, the Spurs avoided a sweep and extended the series to at least five games. The Knicks, who held their first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden in 27 years, will host the Spurs in Game 4 on Wednesday.
Wembanyama, who made just two shots in the first half of Game 1 and Game 2, sank his first four attempts in Game 3 and never relented.
Meanwhile, the Knicks’ offense was discombobulated early and messy throughout, in front of a cast of celebrity guests, including President Donald Trump, actors Timothee Chalamet, Tina Fey and Ben Stiller and baseball legend Derek Jeter, among others who could afford the most-expensive NBA Finals ticket in history.
Knicks’ miscues led to 13 turnovers, which translated to 21 points for the Spurs.
“I thought we made some strides in terms of the ball movement, playing with our teammates, setting screens, trusting the basketball would find the right guy for our shot,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson told reporters.
“I thought we showed better poise at times. I thought we finished the game, still with some things that need improvement, but stronger than we did the first two games. I just thought we were in attack mode, but also as a collective group.”
The Spurs made 9 of their first 11 shots and carried a 33-22 lead into the second quarter. The Knicks shook off their nerves over the next 12 minutes and outscored the Spurs 42-24 to carry a 64-57 lead into halftime. Forward OG Anunoby scored 11 points in the second quarter. Guard Jalen Brunson added 10.
The Spurs scored first six points of the second half and exchanged the lead three times with the Knicks in the third quarter. They outscored the Knicks 35-27 in the frame to carry a 92-91 edge into the final 12 minutes.
Wembanyama helped the Spurs’ push their advantage to eight with less than five minutes remaining. But Brunson and Anunoby willed the Knicks back into contention, cutting the deficit to a single possession twice over the final 34 seconds.
De’Aaron Fox hit a clutch jump shot with 12 seconds remaining to initially preserve the Spurs’ lead. Fellow Spurs guard Stephon Castle hit two free throws on San Antonio’s final possession to ice the victory.
Brunson made 11 of 25 shots for 32 points, including a dozen in the fourth quarter. Anunoby scored 28 in the loss. Wembanyama poured in 10 points over the final 12 minutes.
Castle chipped in 23 points. Fellow Spurs guard Dylan Harper totaled 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Fox and Spurs forward Julian Champagnie totaled 12 points apiece.
The Spurs totaled 28 assists against just eight turnovers in the victory. New York logged 18 assists against 13 giveaways.
“They hit first at the beginning of the game and they hit first at halftime,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said of the Spurs. “Their level of physicality was great tonight. Our attention to detail on both ends of the floor wasn’t great. We allowed them to live in our paint.”
The Knicks (2-1) will host the Spurs (1-2) in Game 4 at 8:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday in New York. Game 5 will be Saturday in San Antonio.
