The San Antonio Spurs delivered a miraculous comeback to beat the New York Knicks 115-111 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday, June 8. This win trimmed the Knicks' lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, with the Spurs displaying remarkable poise in the face of a hostile crowd. The game felt like a must-win for San Antonio, who dropped the first two games at home and faced the wrath of the Knicks' fans, who paid almost $1,000 for standing-room-only tickets. Despite the odds against them, the Spurs rose to the occasion, with their 7-foot 4-inch superstar Victor Wembanyama leading the way with 32 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks.
"We showed better poise at times, I thought we finished the game still with some things that need improvement, but stronger than we did in the last two games," Johnson told reporters. "We were in attack mode." Wembanyama earned snickers from some corners of social media after a costly error helped the Knicks in Game 2, but the Frenchman kept his cool and guided his team back from the Knicks' 42-point second quarter.
The Spurs avoided falling into a 0-3 hole, where no NBA team has ever overcome a three-games-to-none deficit in a best-of-seven series. Jalen Brunson scored 32 points for the Knicks, whose 13-game winning streak, the second-longest postseason winning streak in NBA history, was snapped. "I tell the guys, it's a seven-game series for a reason," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "They're a great team, they're well-coached, they have an iconic player – it's not going to be easy."
The Spurs' Comeback The Spurs' stunning comeback was led by Wembanyama, who produced a game-high 32 points, while Stephon Castle added 23 points, including 18 in the first half and 5 key points late in the fourth quarter. Confidence has remained unchanged for Castle, despite San Antonio being down 2-1 in the series. "I've been in this situation before," he said. Dylan Harper scored 13 points off the San Antonio bench, and starters Julian Champagnie, De'Aaron Fox, and Devin Vassell all got into double figures. Fox also added 8 assists.
Trump's Visit The NBA Finals were also attended by a surprise guest - former US President Donald Trump, who was booed by fellow New York Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden. Trump, who was seated in a suite near midcourt, was shown on the jumbotron saluting the American flag during the national anthem, but received a chorus of boos. Trump downplayed the reception after the game, saying it was amazing and there were mostly cheers. The Knicks' owner, James Dolan, invited Trump to attend Game 3, who was the first sitting US president to attend the NBA Finals.
In a post-game conversation, Johnson highlighted the Spurs' resilience, noting that they maintained their poise, despite the hostile environment. He pointed out that the team had made significant progress in the last game, but still needed to improve in some areas. The Spurs' focus on execution and teamwork allowed them to capitalize on their chances and stay in contention for the series. When asked about the upcoming Game 4, Johnson remained optimistic, saying that the Spurs would take it one game at a time.
The Knicks will host Game 4 on Wednesday, June 10, and the Spurs will be looking to continue their momentum and even the series.