The Spurs Finally Woke Up
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Written by Nick Ashak & Nathan Jasso
No lead is safe in the NBA playoffs. We’ve seen legends like LeBron James come back in the Finals down 3-1. We’ve seen multiple 3-1 comebacks alone this postseason run. We’ve seen plenty of superstars guide their teams back 2-0 in the biggest stage of the NBA season. Who’s to say we can’t see a player like Victor Wembanyama do the same?
The Resiliance down 2-0
This Finals series is most definitely not over, and we’ve seen glimpses of the Spurs having their way this series, even if it hasn’t directly translated to wins at every moment. Although the Knicks had a 2-0 lead at the start of the series, let alone on the Spurs' home court, these Spurs losses were very close to becoming wins, and their win at MSG definitely adds momentum to them.
After Game 1 and Game 2, many were quick to doubt Wembanyama due to reckless play and less-than-usual efficiency, especially from a 7-footer. Game 3 saw Wembanyama silence the doubters with a very efficient 32/8/6, a performance we expected to come out at some point from a star like him.
Despite less efficient play from guards Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox, they both hit shots at times needed to, with Fox hitting the dagger midrange shot in Game 3. The Knicks began to heat up very late in the game, especially with a clutch contested 3-point shot from Knicks forward OG Anunoby to cut the Spurs' lead down to 2. Still, sophomore guard Stephon Castle took care of the game with a very efficient 23/5/5, including the game-sealing free throws.
Inefficiency at The Garden
As for the Knicks, many expected playing in their home MSG environment would help seal the deal for a 3-0 series. With their crowd being highly electric the whole game (DJ Khaled courtside on his phone the whole time doesn’t count), it seemed like they would ride that momentum into a win. Though in this case, it looks like the Knicks tried to force the moment.
New York dropped their first game of the Finals in Game 3, losing their first game since April 23. A majority of the Knicks' struggles came after halftime, which they had entered with a 7-point lead. Star guard Jalen Brunson got into foul trouble in the 3rd quarter, forcing Head Coach Mike Brown to sub him out, having played only 7 minutes compared to his usual 12. A limited Brunson put more weight on the shoulders of fellow starters Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. While Anunoby did thrive with 11 2nd-half points, the other three struggled, combining for 7 points and 3/14 shooting. Even though the Knicks shot 8 2nd-half free throws compared to the Spurs’ 24 attempts, it’s safe to say that New York’s efficiency wasn’t going to put them up 3-0.
With Game 4 coming up in a very competitive series, anything can happen, and the series is crucial at this point. Can the Spurs come back to tie it up and head back onto their home court, or can the Knicks regain momentum at MSG and go up 3-1? Just like Kevin Garnett said, “anything is possible.”