Wemby was huge. De’Aaron Fox was pure. 115-111 was the final score. And it will not be Knicks in four.
The San Antonio Spurs walked into Madison Square Garden on Monday night facing one of the most hotly anticipated NBA games in New York City history and withstood the storm, walking away with a four-point victory that turns these NBA Finals from a orange-and-blue tinged victory parade into a true series.
Led by Victor Wembanyama’s 32 points, the young Spurs avoided the catastrophic mistakes that plagued them in Game 2 down the stretch and held on for a win that will shake the foundations of the Knicks mania that has swept New York in recent weeks. It’s the first time the Knicks have lost since April 23, when they lost Game 3 of the opening round to the Atlanta Hawks, and ends a 13-game playoff win streak that was nearing an NBA record.
The atmosphere in the Garden was hot from the very start as fans were in the building early in anticipation of President Donald Trump’s arrival and the long security lines his presence required. When the president was shown during national anthem, he was booed intensely by the sellout crowd. He smiled slyly at the jeers as he saluted.
The game started off with the Spurs taking it to the Knicks in the opening quarters, as they had in the first two games in Texas. And just like in those two games, the Knicks stormed back in the second quarter, eventually taking a seven-point lead into halftime.
But unlike those games in San Antonio, there was no big Knicks run in the third quarter to break the game open and get the Spurs on their heels. The young Spurs refused to be intimidated, playing physical – and occasionally borderline dirty – basketball against the Knicks on their home court.
Wembanyama put together his most complete game of the Finals, dominating proceedings from the opening minutes. He was matched blow-for-blow by Jalen Brunson, who also finished with 32 points and similarly played his most complete game of the series.
It came down to the final quarter with the Spurs holding onto a lead into the final minutes. Two big possessions from the Spurs sealed it.
Stephon Castle from deep.
Bang 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/yVYhsesMLf
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 9, 2026
First, it was a desperation 3-pointer from Stephon Castle as the shot clock was expiring with just about two minutes to go. The shot came just as the Knicks looked as if they were going to take control of the game in the final minute and Wembanyama looked lost on the possession before eventually finding his teammate for the three from the top of the key.
About 90 seconds later, after Brunson nailed a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game, it was De’Aaron Fox who came up big. The Spurs held onto the ball, running the clock down, before Fox drove and stopped on a dime, pulling up at the free throw line to bury a two-pointer that served as the dagger.
De’Aaron Fox CLUTCH bucket with seconds left in Game 3 🦊 pic.twitter.com/iXPkUrZ5rq
— ESPN (@espn) June 9, 2026
Game 4 is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.