Victor Wembanyama delivered 32 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the New York Knicks 115-111 in NBA Finals Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, the Spurs’ first win of the series and a crucial victory in their championship bid.
The Spurs avoided falling into a 3-0 hole with the fourth-quarter victory, cutting the Knicks’ series lead to 2-1. Wembanyama’s performance came after a Game 2 turnover late in the Spurs’ 105-104 loss, as San Antonio engineered an 11-2 run down the stretch to claim the win at the Garden.
The loss snapped the Knicks’ 13-game playoff winning streak, a run that ranked as the second-longest single-postseason streak in NBA history, behind only Golden State’s 15-game streak in 2017. New York had dominated the early part of the Finals after stealing Game 1 on the road with a 105-95 victory, then edging the Spurs 105-104 in Game 2 to take command of the series.
The 1999 Precedent
The Spurs and Knicks faced off in the NBA Finals once before, in 1999, when San Antonio also came back from adversity. The Knicks won Game 3 at Madison Square Garden 89-81 to avoid a sweep, but the Spurs ultimately prevailed 4-1 to claim their first championship, according to CBS Sports and Land of Basketball records. Tim Duncan was named Finals MVP that year, averaging 27.4 points and 14 rebounds per game.
Tonight’s victory gives the Spurs momentum heading back to San Antonio for Game 4, though the Knicks remain in position to clinch their first championship in 53 years if they can win either of the next two games at home or on the road.
Sources
- ESPN — confirmed the 115-111 final score, Wembanyama’s 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, and the Knicks’ 13-game winning streak being the second-longest in NBA playoff history
- Fox News — reported the Spurs snapped the Knicks’ 13-game playoff win streak with Wembanyama’s 32-point performance
- NBC News — confirmed the 115-111 final score and that New York leads the series 2-1
- The New York Times — reported Wembanyama’s performance in his first NBA Finals win and the Spurs’ victory at Madison Square Garden
- CBS Sports — provided 1999 NBA Finals game scores and series outcome (Spurs 4-1 over Knicks)
- Land of Basketball — documented the 1999 Finals series scores including Game 3’s 89-81 Knicks victory
