Spurs halt Knicks’ historic unbeaten streak with Game 3 victory
San Antonio reduces series deficit to 2-1, ending New York’s 46-game unbeaten run across regular season and playoffs.
The San Antonio Spurs secured their first victory of the NBA Finals series on Monday night, defeating the New York Knicks 115-111 at Madison Square Garden. The result reduces the Knicks’ series lead to 2-1, preventing San Antonio from falling into a 3-0 deficit—a scenario from which no NBA team has historically recovered. The win also ends the Knicks’ 46-game unbeaten streak spanning the regular season and playoffs.
Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 10 points in the fourth quarter. Wembanyama attributed his improved performance to mental clarity gained from sketching a statue of Edwin Booth in Gramercy Park, New York, on Sunday. He described his post-Game 2 mindset as "blurry" and compared the playoffs to a "whirlwind," stating he needed time to let his brain cool down.
Stephon Castle contributed 23 points, marking the first time two teammates aged 22 or younger have both scored 20+ points in an NBA Finals game. De'Aaron Fox hit the game-winning jumper with 12.2 seconds remaining, capping a fourth quarter where the Spurs’ supporting cast outperformed the Knicks’ key scorers.
Knicks coach Mike Brown attributed the Spurs' success to a lack of attention to detail in defending Wembanyama, noting he likely had seven lob dunks. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson highlighted improved ball movement, screen setting, and trust in teammates as key factors in the win, emphasising that getting to the paint opened up passing lanes and forced defensive rotations.
Wembanyama received a "vulgar chant" from the Knicks crowd, a reaction typically reserved for their biggest rivals, which he acknowledged with a shrug and a joke comparing himself to Trae Young. The Spurs ended the Knicks' 46-game unbeaten streak, shifting the series dynamic ahead of Game 4 on Wednesday night.
