By Matija Šerić
It finally happened. After an incredible run of 13 consecutive playoff wins, the Knicks have finally been defeated. In Game 3 of the NBA Finals, San Antonio earned its first victory in the series with a 115:111 win, cutting the deficit to 2–1. And this was no ordinary win. It came in a packed Madison Square Garden, where ticket prices soared to an astronomical four to five thousand dollars and beyond. More importantly, in terms of performance, the Spurs delivered the best possible kind of basketball to the audience – the kind that wins NBA championships.
New York’s pre-game delirium
The entire sporting city of New York was swept up in euphoria before the game. The slogan “Knicks In Four” became a kind of unofficial greeting among New Yorkers in the streets, subway, taxis, and workplaces over the past few days. This was not surprising, given that the Knicks last played an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden 27 years ago. The game was not only followed inside the arena but across the entire Big Apple on large public screens.
A determined San Antonio start
The Knicks clearly felt the pressure, as they opened the game poorly. Victor Wembanyama was outstanding from the start on both ends of the floor and was the main reason the Spurs jumped out to a 7:0 lead. He finally began operating closer to the basket, shooting 3-for-3 early on. Stephon Castle was scoring from everywhere, extending the lead to 16:6.
For the home team, Josh Hart finally came alive, hitting threes and difficult shots after scoring just three points total in the first two games. Jalen Brunson was, as usual, excellent, as was OG Anunoby. Keldon Johnson and Dylan Harper, together with Wemby and Castle, built a 33:22 lead at the end of the first quarter. Some already thought the game might be decided early.
Knicks dominate the second quarter
The second quarter was New York’s best stretch of the game – they won it by 18 points to take a 64:57 lead at halftime. Jordan Clarkson finally found rhythm off the bench, while Jose Alvarado had a strong impact, though only in this quarter. Inspired Anunoby and consistently strong Karl-Anthony Towns played effectively away from the basket, hitting crucial threes and mid-range shots. Brunson orchestrated the Knicks’ offense.
At halftime, it looked like New York might go up 3–0 in the series.
Spurs take control in the third quarter
Sharpshooter Julian Champagnie sparked San Antonio’s comeback early in the third quarter with key baskets, while point guard De’Aaron Fox also played a major role. Wembanyama scored from all areas of the floor and showed his passing ability as well.
With 5:30 left in the third quarter, the Spurs tied the game at 76:76, and shortly after Wemby hit a deep three to make it 79:76. On the other side, Clarkson was extremely hot from beyond the arc.
At the end of the third quarter, San Antonio led 92:91.
Game 3 Highlights
Wemby–Castle duo seals the Spurs’ first win
Wemby and Castle were decisive at the start of the final quarter. With 7:30 remaining, the Spurs led 100:93. Thanks to excellent defense, the Knicks struggled to find open shots and baskets, expending a lot of energy just to score.
Brunson kept them in the game, while Wembanyama continued to protect the lead with rebounds, blocks, and scoring. With two minutes left, Brunson cut the deficit to 108:104, but Castle hit a deep three off a Wemby assist to make it 111:104 – effectively sealing the game.
The Knicks could not recover from that seven-point gap, even though Brunson and Anunoby hit spectacular threes late on. The final score was 115:111.
The Spurs celebrated their first NBA Finals victory – for all players it was their first Finals win, except for veterans Harrison Barnes, Luke Kornet, and Kelly Olynyk.
Spurs executed their game plan perfectly
Statistics clearly show that the Spurs played a top-level game with almost no flaws. They slightly edged the Knicks in shooting percentage (46% to 45%, and 35% from three for both teams), committed fewer turnovers (8–13), and led for 78% of the game time. However, they were outrebounded 37–46.
San Antonio also had a major advantage in assists, 28–18. Although the Knicks dominated the glass, the Spurs compensated with excellent shooting and 25 points from free throws compared to 18 for the home team. Defense was also decisive.
“Execution of the game plan. Getting into the right positions, early communication, good switching, good shifting, understanding when we rotate, getting into our coverages, and then just executing possessions until the end,” said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson.
Wemby shows who he is
Wembanyama played an almost perfect game – 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three blocks, two steals, and only one turnover.
“Yes, I’m sure Victor has many sources of motivation,” said coach Johnson after the game. “I don’t think anyone is surprised or expects anything other than a strong game and him being the best, playing aggressively in attack mode.”
Wemby noted that the team communicated better than in the first two games, as everyone knew exactly what to do on both ends of the floor.
Castle was the second most dominant player with 23 points, five rebounds, and assists. Fox and Champagnie scored 12 points each, while reserve Harper added 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists.
Poor night for Towns, Bridges, and bench players
On the other side, Brunson continued to play at MVP level, and if New York wins the title, he will likely be Finals MVP. His performance mirrored Wemby’s – 32 points, five rebounds, and assists.
Anunoby showed his full potential with 28 points, and Hart finally proved he can still score, finishing with 16 points. Unfortunately for the home team, Towns (11 points) and Bridges (just 2 points) underperformed significantly.
They were not helped by Clarkson’s 10 points or Mitchell Robinson’s 5. The bench struggled badly, with Shamet scoring 3 points on 1-for-8 shooting, Alvarado adding 4, and McBride finishing scoreless. The Knicks’ bench clearly failed – possibly due to being overwhelmed by the Finals atmosphere at MSG.
President in attendance didn’t help the Knicks
The Knicks suffered their first playoff loss in 46 days while being watched live by their famous fan Donald Trump. This was the first NBA Finals game ever attended by a sitting U.S. president. Unfortunately for Trump, he was heavily booed by the crowd in a strongly Democratic stronghold.
Brown’s accusations about officiating
Knicks coach Mike Brown complained after the game about biased officiating and frequent fouls called against his players. In the second half, the Spurs had a 24:8 advantage in free throws.
“I never thought I would see something like that in an NBA Finals game, but tonight I saw it,” Brown said, adding that such strict officiating would significantly hurt the Knicks’ chances in Game 4 if it continues.
Because of foul trouble, Bridges and Brunson spent more time on the bench in the third quarter. In response, Karl-Anthony Towns said officiating was not the issue.
“That didn’t cost us the game,” he said. “We turned the ball over. We didn’t execute what we were supposed to. We didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins. That’s how you lose a game.” And he was clearly right.
A series still wide open
The Knicks still lead the series 2–1 and retain home-court advantage, but the Spurs now have a chance to tie it 2–2 in Game 4. If they succeed, they will regain home-court advantage, hosting two of the potential remaining three games.
Nothing is decided yet, but the next game will likely shape the direction of the series. In the NBA, anything is possible.
