The NBA Finals are officially back on.
Facing the daunting prospect of a 3-0 series deficit, the San Antonio Spurs responded with the urgency expected of a championship contender, defeating the New York Knicks 115-111 in Game 3 , ending the Knicks 13-game postseason winning streak and keep their title hopes alive.
When it was needed most, Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle both bounced back from previous sub par outings. Wembanyama led the Spurs with 32 points on 11-18 from the floor, to go along with 8 rebounds , 3 blocks and 2 steals. Stephon Castle added 23 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists on 8-14 shooting. His defense on Jalen Brunson was key, as he forced the Knicks star into an 11-25 night from the floor.
The other Spurs starters scored in double figures , with Julian Champagnie putting in 12, De’Aaron Fox also scored 12, to go along with 8 assists, and Devin Vassell adding 11 points.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 32 points, but, as was previously mentioned, took 25 shots to get those points. OG Anunoby turned in a strong performance with 28 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns, who was in conversation for Finals MVP in through the first two games, was the forgotten man in Game 3, scoring just 11 points on 4-10 from the floor. Josh Hart has his best scoring game of the series, putting in 16 points and grabbing 9 boards.
After dropping the first two games of the series, San Antonio entered Madison Square Garden knowing that a loss would all but end its championship aspirations. Instead, the Spurs delivered one of their most resilient performances of the postseason, matching New York’s intensity and executing in the game’s biggest moments.
The Spurs came out with the flavor of intensity Iof a team that did not want to go down 3-0 and built a 12 point lead in the first period. The Knicks chopped away at the lead, and took a 59-57 lead late in the second quarter and would take a 64-57 lead into halftime. New York showed the way until the Spurs tied the game at 76 and took a 79-76 lead on a Wembanyama shot from downtown at the 5:12 mark of the period. The Knicks worked from behind for the rest of the contest, tying the game at 89 late in the third. New York pulled to within a single possession on a fe occasion, including with under a minute left in the game , but could not get over the hump.
The victory cuts New York’s series lead to 2-1 and shifts pressure back onto the Knicks heading into Game 4. While teams holding a 2-0 Finals advantage remain in a favorable position historically, San Antonio’s win prevents the series from becoming a formality and injects new life into the championship matchup.
For the Spurs, Game 3 served as a reminder of why they reached the Finals in the first place. The ball movement, toughness, and late-game execution that defined their season resurfaced when they needed it most.
Now the focus turns to Game 4.
A Knicks victory would restore firm control of the series and move New York within one win of its first NBA championship in decades. A Spurs win, however, would even the series and completely alter the Finals narrative.
One thing is certain: San Antonio made sure this series isn’t ending quietly.
What do you think? Will the Spurs ride this momentum to even the series, or will the Knicks bounce back and take a commanding 3-1 lead?
