San Antonio Spurs Register Crucial Game 3 Victory

The San Antonio Spurs have notched their first win in the 2026 NBA Finals, overcoming the New York Knicks with a 115-111 score in Game 3. This vital road victory prevents the Spurs from falling into an historically insurmountable 0-3 series deficit, injecting new life into the best-of-seven championship.

Despite the win, the Knicks maintain a 2-1 lead in the series, with Game 4 scheduled to take place in New York on Wednesday night. The Spurs' triumph marks a significant moment, as no NBA team has ever recovered from being down three games to none in a best-of-seven playoff series.

Wembanyama Leads Spurs' Offensive Charge

French phenom Victor Wembanyama delivered a standout performance for the Spurs, contributing 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three blocks. His all-around effort was instrumental in San Antonio's ability to halt the Knicks' impressive 13-game winning streak, which was the second-longest postseason streak in NBA history.

Rookie Stephon Castle also made a substantial impact, adding 23 points, with 18 in the first half and five critical points late in the fourth quarter. Other key contributors for the Spurs included Dylan Harper with 13 points off the bench, and starters Julian Champagnie (12 points), De’Aaron Fox (12 points), and Devin Vassell (11 points) all reaching double figures. Fox also dished out eight assists.

"I feel like we still haven’t really done anything," Castle remarked, emphasizing that despite the win, the team remains focused on the bigger picture. "Obviously, we’re still down 2-1, and we’re looking forward to the next 48 minutes."

Knicks' Winning Streak Snapped

The New York Knicks, who had been on an exceptional run, saw their 13-game postseason winning streak come to an end. Jalen Brunson led the scoring for the Knicks with 32 points on 11-of-25 shooting. OG Anunoby added 28 points, shooting an efficient 9-of-13 from the field, while Josh Hart contributed 16 points. Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 11 points, and reserve Jordan Clarkson added 10.

Knicks coach Mike Brown acknowledged the challenge, stating, "I tell the guys, it’s a seven-game series for a reason. They are a great team. They are well-coached. They have an iconic player. It’s not going to be easy."

Karl-Anthony Towns reflected on the loss, suggesting the team deviated from their successful strategy: "Didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins in a row – that’s how you lose a game. We didn’t do what we’ve been doing for 13 (games). We decided to do something different, and it ain’t going to work."

Momentum Swings and Fourth Quarter Drama

The Spurs demonstrated resilience, particularly after squandering a 12-point first-half lead and trailing 64-57 at halftime. This was reminiscent of previous games where they had lost significant leads. However, San Antonio rallied in the third quarter, with Champagnie scoring the first six points and the team shooting 50% from the field while forcing turnovers.

San Antonio took a definitive lead at 79-76 on a Wembanyama three-pointer with just over five minutes left in the third period. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson noted, "I thought we showed better poise at times. I thought we finished the game still with some things that need improvement, but stronger than we did the last few games."

The fourth quarter saw a defensive battle, with both teams struggling from the field, combining for just 27.1% shooting. Despite the Spurs maintaining a comfortable lead for much of the period, Brunson and Anunoby hit crucial three-pointers in the final 34 seconds, narrowing the gap to 113-111 with 9.4 seconds remaining. However, Castle sealed the win with two free throws, extending the lead to four points.

A point of contention for Coach Brown was the free-throw disparity, with the Spurs attempting 24 free throws in the second half compared to the Knicks' eight. "I never thought I would be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free-throw attempts in the second half to another team’s eight," Brown commented.

This series marks only the second NBA Finals where the road team has won the first three games, a pattern previously seen in 1993 when the Chicago Bulls won the first two on the road before the Phoenix Suns took Game 3.

Source: Al Jazeera