The 2026 NBA Finals have been a battle all along, and moving the series back to Madison Square Garden just added fuel to the series.
The Knicks came to Game 3 after winning 13 straight playoff games and leading the series 2-0, with the support of one of the loudest crowds in basketball behind them.
The physicality of the game only escalated. Around the 5:10 mark of the opening quarter, Brunson was attempting to set a screen on Wembanyama, when the Spurs big man pushed him so hard that he fell to the floor.
The referees did not call a foul, and Brunson stood up immediately and confronted Wemby. MSG fans went wild, and at that moment the atmosphere of the night was established.
Jalen Brunson’s Full Reaction to Victor Wembanyama Shove in NBA Finals Game 3
GettyJalen Brunson
Via SNY Knicks, when Brunson was asked about the Wembanyama shove and whether the Spurs’ physicality bothered him, he kept it short:
“No, to answer your second question, and whatever you saw is what you saw.”
That was it. Closed the door completely, no extra words. That’s the kind of answer that tells you everything about how he’s approaching this series, and nothing about what actually got under his skin.
Brunson also addressed the loss more broadly postgame, saying “the most important thing is that we were going to learn regardless, because we knew there were things that we were going to have to improve on going into the next game.” Cool-headed, even after dropping a home game in the Finals for the first time in 27 years.
How Spurs Beat Knicks at MSG and What’s at Stake in Game 4
GettyNew York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama
This level of composure will have to be maintained quickly. San Antonio grabbed the win with 115-111. Wembanyama scored 32 points, and Stephon Castle contributed 23, including the big hit with a three-pointer less than two minutes to go and the free throws that sealed the game in the very last seconds.
The big part of the story was told by the free throw gap with the Spurs being sent to the charity stripe 24 times in the second half versus a mere eight times for New York. At halftime the Knicks were up by seven, but they weren’t able to keep it when the time was most critical.
In fact, New York is still ahead in the series 2-1, so there isn’t any reason for them to be panic at the moment.
On the other hand, San Antonio have shown that they can win even at MSG, and Wembanyama dropping 32 points, 6 assists and 3 blocks after two silent games is a huge alarm for the Knicks before Game 4.
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