Spurs avoid 0-3 hole, nip Knicks
NEW YORK, United States -- The San Antonio Spurs steered clear of an insurmountable 0-3 deficit, escaping with a 115-111 victory over the New York Knick in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on Tuesday (Manila time).
Victor Wembanyama starred with 32 points to lead six other Spurs in double-digit scoring as San Antonio gained some momentum in the best-of-seven championship series.
The 22-year-old, 7-foot-4 Frenchman added eight rebounds, six assists, three blocks and two steals as the Spurs cut the Knicks' lead to 2-1.
The Spurs also snapped the Knicks' 13-game win streak in the process, with President Donald Trump in attendance.
"We've done what we were supposed to do but the job is absolutely not done," the 22-year-old Wembanyama said. "We're not even halfway. The hardest is yet to come."
The Spurs knew no team has ever won an NBA playoff series after losing the first three games, helping push them after late-game blunders cost them in a Game-2 home loss.
"Less mistakes, more control," Wembanyama said. "It's the little things. We were more serious. Less mistakes. Less turnovers."
Stephon Castle added 23 points for the Spurs while Dylan Harper had 13 off the bench.
"He has got great poise," Wembanyama said of Castle. "It's hard to put into words how valuable he is to us."
Jalen Brunson led New York with 32 points while OG Anunoby added 28, but the Knicks shot 40-of-88 from the floor and only hit 13-of-37 from 3-point range.
"What was better in the defense was communication, being early," said Wembanyama.
The Knicks' win streak was halted two shy of the NBA playoff-record 15 in a row won by Golden State on the way to the 2017 title.
The Spurs seek their sixth NBA title and first since 2014, while the Knicks won their only crowns in 1970 and 1973.
A raucous crowd created an electric atmosphere for the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999.
That included boos for Trump, the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game, when he was shown on the arena videoscreen.
Expanded security measures for Trump's attendance led to fans being asked to arrive two hours before tip-off and cancellation of a watch party outside the arena.
No team has come back from a 0-3 pit in the finals, and now the Spurs have the chance to equalize the matchup with another win.
Game 4 is at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday (Manila time), still at the Knicks’ home court.
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