The San Antonio Spurs won a must-win Game 3 of the NBA Finals, winning their first game, and proving that the New York Knicks can be toppled.
The San Antonio Spurs finally beat the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, 115-111, bringing the series to 2-1.
In front of their home fans, the Knicks did not look like the dominant two-way selves they presented in the first two games. The celebrities were in full force, both courtside and in the boxes, but they left the Garden disappointed.
The Spurs, meanwhile, after suffering two losses at home to kick off the Finals, brought their A-game for the first time of the series, besting New York on both ends of the ball down the stretch.
Spurs Topple Knicks in Game 3
After Karl-Anthony Towns managed to neutralize Victor Wembanyama in the first two games, Wembanyama was able to take control of Game 3, finishing with 32 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. The Spurs' young core of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper managed to post 23 and 13 points, with De'Aaron Fox only adding 12 of his own, but leading the offense with eight assists.
While the Spurs were mostly led by Wembanyama's dominating game, the Knicks enjoyed a well-rounded scoring attack, with Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby scoring 32 and 28 points, respectively.
In Games 1 and 2, Wembanyama looked extra cautious in the face of Towns' defense, but in Game 3 was able to shoot 11-for-18 from the floor and two-for-four from deep. Granted, on multiple occasions, Wembanyama passed up open mid-range jump shots to find a man in the corner, but the shooter either wasn't open or wasn't ready for the change of direction, resulting in a turnover.
As the series carries on, Wembanyama will need to be aware that the best shot is often his shot, and looking to the corner once he's already started his shooting motion isn't really the best move.
Only the 2021 Bucks, 2016 Cavaliers, 1977 Trail Blazers, and 1969 Celtics have come back from a 2-0 Finals deficit. With the Spurs taking home an upset win in Madison Square Garden in Game 3, San Antonio could be the fifth team to come back from down 2-0, although unless they can sweep the first two games in New York, the Spurs will find themselves down 3-1, looking to become the second team to overcome that gap.
While Game 3 was a "must-win" for the Silver and Black, the stakes in Game 4 will be just as high, with tipoff scheduled for Wednesday night.
