DUBAI: As “Knicks in four” chants grow louder across New York, Victor Wembanyama is preparing to lead the San Antonio Spurs’ response.
Two wins from a championship. Two minutes from being level.
That is the story of the NBA Finals heading into Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, with tip-off scheduled for 4:30 a.m. GST on Tuesday, June 9.
The New York Knicks return home holding a 2-0 series lead and standing just two victories away from their first NBA title since 1973. The San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, face a must-win contest, knowing that no team in NBA history has ever recovered from a 3-0 playoff deficit.
Yet despite the scoreline, little has separated the two teams.
San Antonio held a one-point lead with just over two minutes remaining in Game 1 before the Knicks closed on an 11-0 run to secure a 105-95 victory. Two nights later, the Spurs again found themselves ahead in the final minute before New York escaped with a dramatic 105-104 win.
Those narrow defeats have reinforced a belief within the Spurs that the series remains far from over.
Standing in their way is a Knicks team that continues to find answers in the biggest moments.
Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, New York has won 13 consecutive playoff games, the second-longest postseason winning streak in NBA history, and become only the third team to open the Finals with two road victories, joining the 1993 Chicago Bulls and the 1995 Houston Rockets. Both teams went on to lift the championship trophy.
Despite the historic run, the Knicks insist they are focused only on the next challenge.
“Next game, mindset has to be 0-0 again,” Brunson said. “It’s just how it has to be. You can’t be comfortable. You can’t be satisfied with anything.”
The Spurs, however, believe they are still firmly in the fight.
The Knicks may be carrying one of the greatest playoff streaks in NBA history into Game 3, but they will also be facing a motivated Wembanyama.
The Spurs star enters the pivotal contest fuelled by the disappointment of Game 2, where a late turnover and missed jumper contributed to New York’s victory.
“Am I gonna regret it? Yes, of course,” Wembanyama said. “Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely.”
San Antonio’s confidence is built on more than optimism. The Spurs have thrived away from home throughout the season, posting a 6-2 road record during the playoffs and winning crucial away games in each of their first three postseason series, including a decisive Game 7 victory over the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. Across the regular season and playoffs combined, they own a 35-15 road record, the second-best mark in the league.
Madison Square Garden has also been one of Wembanyama’s favorite stages. In three career appearances at the iconic venue, he has averaged 27 points, 13.3 rebounds and 3 blocks, including a memorable 42-point, 18-rebound performance on Christmas Day in 2024.
The 22-year-old has continued to produce on basketball’s biggest stage, averaging 27.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks through the opening two Finals games.
“I think the key is acceptance,” he said. “A lot of times, it’s about taking a step back and realizing the journey that’s behind us, what’s ahead of us, and just being OK with who I am, where I am, and what I’m doing. At the end of the day, this is everything that I wished for.”
He added: “There’s really no reason to overthink it. This is what I’m built for.”
Wembanyama also acknowledged the support he continues to receive from fans across the Middle East.
“I’m very grateful for what they do,” he said. “This is true passion. I definitely really, really appreciate the support.”
Brunson, meanwhile, believes New York still has room for improvement despite its perfect start to the series.
“We do need to be able to finish the game better,” he said. “Unacceptable the way we let that 14-point lead go the way we did.”
For Knicks fans, Game 3 offers an opportunity to move to the brink of a championship that has eluded the franchise for more than five decades. For the Spurs, it is an opportunity to halt New York’s momentum, silence the growing “Knicks in four” chants and breathe new life into the series.
And if San Antonio is to mount a comeback, it will likely begin with Wembanyama embracing the challenge on one of basketball’s biggest stages.
