The New York Knicks missed an opportunity to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals on Monday night, falling 115-111 to the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. The loss snapped New York’s 13-game playoff winning streak and cut its series lead to 2-1.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 32 points, five rebounds, and five assists. However, the All-Star guard also committed five turnovers and needed 25 shot attempts to reach his scoring total. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, while OG Anunoby added 28 points on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting performance.
Following the game, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith criticized Brunson’s approach, arguing that New York’s offense drifted away from the balanced style that fueled its postseason success.
Stephen A. Smith Criticizes Jalen Brunson’s Decision-Making Against San Antonio Spurs
Speaking after the game, Smith said Brunson deserved a significant share of the blame for the loss.
“Jalen Brunson, I got to put this loss on him just as much as anybody,” Smith said.
The ESPN analyst pointed to Brunson’s shot selection and the lack of involvement for several teammates.
“You launched double the amount of shots of Karl-Anthony Towns. You shot more than Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart combined,” Smith said.
He also questioned why Towns was unable to capitalize on San Antonio’s smaller lineups.
“Karl-Anthony Towns, you didn’t find him pretty much all game long. They went small for crying out loud. You had an opportunity to exploit that and take advantage by getting the ball to Karl-Anthony Towns. You didn’t do that.”
Smith praised Brunson’s overall body of work but said Game 3 looked different from the performances that helped New York reach the Finals.
“We know how lucky we are to have him, how great he is,” Smith said. “It’s just one game. But last night I said something about him last night that I never thought I’d say. I thought it looked like he was playing to win Finals MVP than he was playing to win Game 3.”
Smith also highlighted Anunoby’s efficiency and questioned why the Knicks did not continue feeding him offensively.
“OG Anunoby had 28 points on 13 shots. How do you not find OG Anunoby more considering the level of accuracy and efficiency that he was showing?”
Jalen Brunson and New York Knicks Search for Adjustments Before Game 4
GettyNew York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson
Brunson’s Game 3 performance reflected a trend that has followed him through the first three games of the Finals.
While he is averaging 27.3 points per game in the series, his efficiency has dipped. Through three games, Brunson has scored 82 points on 81 field-goal attempts while recording 13 assists and 13 turnovers.
Statistically, the Spurs have done a strong job limiting his overall impact. New York has struggled offensively during several stretches when Brunson has been on the floor, particularly against San Antonio’s aggressive defensive schemes.
Despite those challenges, the Knicks remain ahead in the series.
Brunson’s late-game shot-making helped New York win Games 1 and 2 on the road, and he nearly sparked another comeback in Game 3 with several clutch baskets in the fourth quarter.
After the loss, Brunson focused on the team’s response moving forward.
“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,” Brunson said.
The Knicks will now look to regain momentum in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. New York remains two wins away from its first NBA championship since 1973, but the focus will be on creating a more balanced offensive attack against a Spurs team that found success slowing Brunson and forcing difficult possessions throughout Game 3.
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