The San Antonio Spurs head to Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals facing a difficult reality on Victor Wembanyama. His impressive individual numbers have not been enough to overcome the impact of Karl-Anthony Towns.
New York holds a 2-0 series lead after winning both games in San Antonio. While Wembanyama has produced historic statistics in his NBA Finals debut, the Knicks have consistently found ways to limit his influence in key moments, with Towns emerging as one of the defining factors in the series.
Wembanyama entered the Finals as the centerpiece of San Antonio’s championship hopes after leading the franchise back to the title round. Through two games, he is averaging 27.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game. According to Stathead tracking, only Shaquille O’Neal in 2001 and Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994 have matched those point, rebound, and block totals across any two-game stretch in the NBA Finals since those statistics became official in 1983-84.
Despite those numbers, New York has controlled the series.
Karl-Anthony Towns Has Changed the Victor Wembanyama Matchup
The matchup between Towns and Wembanyama has become a major storyline.
Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, Brian Windhorst highlighted how dramatically the series has unfolded.
“If you went back 45 days ago and you said to somebody, I’m talking about his father, his fiance, his agent, and said, the Knicks are not going to lose for 45 days, and you were going to see during the finals, Kat walking off the court at halftime saying, Victor Wembanyama ain’t got flipping nothing for me,” Windhorst said.
“This transformation has not been sudden because he’s been working towards this his whole life, but it has been stunning.”
Windhorst then delivered an even stronger assessment of the matchup.
“And he’s right. Those numbers that we just showed, he’s kicking Wembanyama’s a** in this series. And it is absolutely the difference in what’s going on right now.”
The underlying numbers support Towns’ impact.
According to player-tracking data cited during the Finals, Wembanyama has committed seven turnovers when directly guarded by Towns in the series. Including regular-season meetings, Towns has forced nine Wembanyama turnovers across just 124 possessions.
No defender has forced more turnovers against the Spurs star this season.
Wembanyama has also shot 7-for-19 when defended by Towns during the Finals, while New York’s defensive game plan has focused on keeping him out of the paint and forcing difficult perimeter shots.
Towns, meanwhile, has averaged 19.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in the Finals while leading all players with a plus-25 rating.
Victor Wembanyama Facing New York Knicks Defensive Challenge
GettySan Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama
The Knicks have also altered Wembanyama’s impact on defense.
Entering the series, many expected the Spurs star to spend much of his time roaming near the basket as a help defender. Instead, Towns’ shooting range and playmaking ability have repeatedly pulled him away from the paint.
Asked whether the assignment has become physically demanding, Wembanyama acknowledged the challenge.
“The challenge has been mostly about will, the will to do it,” Wembanyama said. “I feel like I’ll take a breather at the end of the season.”
The Spurs remain confident they can recover despite the early deficit.
Following the two losses at Frost Bank Center, players spoke with former coach Gregg Popovich.
According to Stephon Castle, Popovich’s message was simple.
“Pretty much his message was just let the last two games go,” Castle said. “It happened. They were very winnable games. We feel like we gave them those games. We got to let those go and focus on the next one.”
Game 3 now shifts to Madison Square Garden, where New York has an opportunity to move within one victory of its first NBA championship since 1973.
For San Antonio, the challenge is clear. Wembanyama’s production remains elite, but the Spurs need a solution to the Towns matchup if they hope to turn the series around.
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