Game 3 was a hard night in New York City for exuberant Knicks fans
Wemby was huge. De’Aaron Fox was pure. 115-111 was the final score. And it will not be Knicks in four.
The San Antonio Spurs walked into Madison Square Garden on Monday night facing one of the most hotly anticipated NBA games in New York City history and withstood the storm, walking away with a four-point victory that turns these NBA Finals from a orange-and-blue tinged victory parade into a true series.
Led by Victor Wembanyama’s 32 points, the young Spurs avoided the catastrophic mistakes that plagued them in Game 2 down the stretch and held on for a win that will shake the foundations of the Knicks mania that has swept New York in recent weeks. It’s the first time the Knicks have lost since April 23, when they lost Game 3 of the opening round to the Atlanta Hawks, and ends a 13-game playoff win streak that was nearing an NBA record.
The atmosphere in the Garden was hot from the very start as fans were in the building early in anticipation of President Donald Trump’s arrival and the long security lines his presence required. When the president was shown during national anthem, he was booed intensely by the sellout crowd. He smiled slyly at the jeers as he saluted.
The game started off with the Spurs taking it to the Knicks in the opening quarters, as they had in the first two games in Texas. And just like in those two games, the Knicks stormed back in the second quarter, eventually taking a seven-point lead into halftime.
But unlike those games in San Antonio, there was no big Knicks run in the third quarter to break the game open and get the Spurs on their heels. The young Spurs refused to be intimidated, playing physical – and occasionally borderline dirty – basketball against the Knicks on their home court.
Wembanyama put together his most complete game of the Finals, dominating proceedings from the opening minutes. He was matched blow-for-blow by Jalen Brunson, who also finished with 32 points and similarly played his most complete game of the series.
It came down to the final quarter with the Spurs holding onto a lead into the final minutes. Two big possessions from the Spurs sealed it.
First, it was a desperation 3-pointer from Stephon Castle as the shot clock was expiring with just about two minutes to go. The shot came just as the Knicks looked as if they were going to take control of the game in the final minute and Wembanyama looked lost on the possession before eventually finding his teammate for the three from the top of the key.
About 90 seconds later, after Brunson nailed a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game, it was De’Aaron Fox who came up big. The Spurs held onto the ball, running the clock down, before Fox drove and stopped on a dime, pulling up at the free throw line to bury a two-pointer that served as the dagger.
Game 4 is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Trump says he heard "mostly cheers" from crowd at game as he departs New York City
President Donald Trump is departing New York City after attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals, where he was booed by the crowd when his image appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem.
When asked about his reception at Madison Square Garden, Trump said, “I thought it was very good, it was certainly amazing, It was, I think, mostly cheers,” before boarding Air Force One to head back to Washington. “It was loud and it was very enthusiastic.”
“The game was fantastic. Well played by both teams. We all had a lot of fun and it was great to watch. Very talented players,” Trump said.
Trump is the first sitting president to attend a finals game. His presence prompted enhanced security around the arena, including a heavily secured perimeter that forced fans to arrive early.
Multiple arrested after Bryant Park watch party turns rowdy, official says
The NYPD made multiple arrests at the Knicks watch party at Bryant Park after some in the crowd starting fighting, throwing glass and climbing structures, a law enforcement official told CNN.
One officer was injured by a thrown glass bottle, the official said, with arrests made for disorderly conduct and assault on officers.
Video shows people in the crowd fighting as police move in to break it up.
CNN has reached out to the NYPD for details.
San Antonio Spurs take Game 3, holding on to beat the Knicks
And that will do it!
Mikal Bridges misses a three-point attempt and the Knicks can’t corral the rebound and it goes out of bounds. They get one last chance as it’s called out on the Spurs. The ball is inbounded and OG Anunoby got one last shot attempt off but couldn’t hit as the horn sounded.
And with that, the Spurs have ruined the New York homecoming, taking Game 3 in the Garden to make it 2-1 in the NBA Finals.
Spurs open up a four-point advantage with 6.8 seconds to go
A quick foul by Jalen Brunson sends Stephon Castle to the line and the Spurs have a chance to ice this at the free throw line with 6.8 seconds left.
Castle nails one to make it a three-point game. And then drains the second to make it a four-point game. It’s a big mountain for the Knicks to overcome now.
The Knicks take a timeout to mull things over, their last of the night.
They need a bit of a miracle now.
OG Anunoby nails a 3-pointer to narrow the deficit
OG Anunoby isn’t ready to be done yet! He hits a quick 3-pointer, the Knicks’ first of the fourth quarter, to cut the lead to two with 9.4 seconds to go!
De'Aaron Fox hits a massive jumper and the Spurs are on the brink
The Spurs come up empty and Jalen Brunson doesn’t. He nails a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left and it’s a three-point game!
The Spurs hold onto the ball to kill the clock and De’Aaron Fox buries a two-point jumper to make it a five-point lead with 12 seconds to go!
Wow, what a sequence here. Was that the dagger? The Knicks don’t have long to respond. The Spurs might be about to spoil this Garden party.
The Spurs seize control, but it's tight in the final minute
Two Jalen Brunson free throws have made this game a six-point contest but neither team can get the ball back in the bucket and time is ticking away.
Both teams are looking a little exhausted as open shots aren’t falling (the Knicks, in particular, haven’t made a three-pointer in this fourth quarter) and play is getting sloppy on both ends.
But leave it to Brunson to meet the moment when it comes, sinking a jumper to cut the lead to four.
With two minutes remaining, Stephon Castle hits a massive 3-pointer to bring the lead back to seven as the shot clock expires and the air is sucked out of Madison Square Garden. Mikal Bridges misses a three on the other end and suddenly the Spurs have all the control.
With one minute to go, OG Anunoby is fouled as he drives to the lane. He can cut the lead to five with two free throws. He makes one of two and it’s 111-105 San Antonio.
The Spurs are holding on as the game enters crunchtime
Buckle up, folks.
This game is looking like it’s going down to the wire as the teams are trading buckets. The real question for the Knicks at this point is can they stop Victor Wembanyama, who now has 32 points and is putting together his best game of these NBA Finals.
If it felt tense before, it’s now feeling like something beyond that – the kind of tight feeling that can only come around in June in this NBA.
The Knicks are trying to overcome a Wemby-sized hump to make this contest a one-possession game, but can’t buy a bucket (or keep the ball after a few turnovers) on the last couple possessions. On the other end, Wembanyama ends up back on the free throw line with the chance to extend the lead.
The Spurs fell apart in a similar situation in the last two games. Can they hold on to take their first game of the series in another intense crunchtime moment in the World’s Most Famous Arena? The lead is eight points with under five minutes to go.
The Spurs open up a sizable lead on the suddenly lifeless Knicks
The New York Knicks are flying all over the place but the San Antonio Spurs are hanging on. And even building on their lead.
Jalen Brunson comes back into the game a little earlier than he usually does in the fourth with his Knicks trailing by five points. He’s going to need to inspire a little life in his team, which is looking listless in the opening minutes of this crucial quarter.
The Spurs, meanwhile, appear to be smelling blood in the water. Victor Wembanyama continues to attack, keeping up the aggressive mentality he’s had all game. He hits a deep three and appeared to be fouled by Mitchell Robinson in the process, getting the opportunity to make it a four-point play as the Spurs take a 10-point lead in the fourth. But after a review, the refs waive off the basket and call an offensive foul on San Antonio.
The Knicks, for some reason, look like all the life has been sucked out of them during this second half. Something has to change, and fast, if they want to make the “Knicks in four” proclamation a reality.
Trump eats pizza and french fries at NBA Finals
President Donald Trump has been snacking during the game. Earlier in the game, the president was seen seated in the box, chatting and eating French fries.
He was later seen eating a slice of pizza, and at one point, sipping from what appeared to be a Diet Coke bottle.
Only Pepsi products are sold at Madison Square Garden, so it’s likely that the drink was brought to the arena for the president to enjoy during the game.
Spurs hold a thin lead after three quarters and it's time for nerves at MSG
Not sure anyone had this on their bingo card, but it’s the San Antonio Spurs taking the lead into the final quarter of Game 3 (certainly not Charles Barkley, who deemed this series over at halftime).
The Spurs have been the more physically imposing team in this game and are hanging with the Knicks on the offensive end as well, and they hold a 92-91 lead going into the final 12 minutes.
But the Knicks are far from out of it. Jordan Clarkson hit his first bucket of the Finals to tie the game at 89 in the final minute of the quarter and the Garden crowd absolutely loved it. Mikal Bridges, dealing with foul trouble all game, also got on the board to cut the lead to one in the final seconds.
But Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are looking to pull the same trick that the Knicks pulled in San Antonio – steal a game on the road in the NBA Finals and change the shape of these Finals.
It’ll be up to that boisterous crowd at MSG to keep away the seeping dread that usually follows the Knicks in the playoffs – a feeling they haven’t had to feel too much in the last couple months. It’ll be heart-in-throat time in New York for the rest of the way.
It's a tense game but the stars are shining
The NBA works best when its biggest stars show up and show out against one another.
Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama are certainly doing that tonight.
Brunson scores his 20th point of the night on a ridiculous circus shot in the paint and then hits an ensuing free throw, and then Wemby answers right back with a pull-up mid-range jump shot on the next possession. They’re going blow for blow in the biggest game of the season and it’s a beautiful thing to watch.
The lead is starting to bounce back and forth between the two teams as the game remains extremely tight. There is no big third quarter run so far in this one like there has been in the last two games.
The Garden is just a coiled spring ready to explode with every Knicks possession, and Josh Hart gives them a reason to shout with a 3 that puts the Knicks up four. But a Brunson turnover, the 11th Knicks turnover of the game, puts a damper on the party.
It’s 76-72 Knicks about halfway through the third quarter.
Back underway in the third quarter
Away we go in the third quarter and the Spurs are making the first moves, scoring five quick points to cut the gap to 64-62 after Julian Champagnie hits a 3-pointer.
He’s fouled as he shoots when Jalen Brunson gets his foot underneath Champagnie, resulting in Brunson being whistled for a flagrant.
Champagnie makes one of the two free throws and then the Spurs can’t retake the lead after Stephon Castle misses a 3. It’s going to be tense down the stretch here.
Cardi B makes surprise halftime appearance
After the Jumbotron teased a mystery guest throughout the first half, Cardi B performed a short halftime show at Madison Square Garden.
Accompanied by Knicks dancers, she sang “Bodak Yellow.”
Or, at least, the non-explicit words in Bodak Yellow.
On the Knicks' secret sauce
The Knicks’ secret sauce continues to be their ability to steal the Spurs’ joy.
It’s uncanny. San Antonio gets up 12 and New York methodically chips away at it and inexplicably leaves the court for the half up seven.
It is unbelievably demoralizing for any opponent but especially for a young team like the Spurs. Certainly all of the Knicks deserve credit but it starts with Jalen Brunson. He has played with an old man’s stoicism for decades, and shows all of the emotions of a toaster oven.
Maybe San Antonio turns it around in the second half, but that’s hard to imagine.
Knicks lead by 7 at halftime
Well, that was an absolutely bruising first half that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the 1999 Finals when these two franchises collided.
A run from the Knicks in the final minute and change gives them the lead heading into the locker rooms and the crowd at Madison Square Garden is loving it. After the Spurs started off the first quarter hot and built a double-digit lead, the Knicks took the hits from Victor Wembanyama and company and responded with a few runs of their own.
The Knicks outscored the Spurs by 18 in the second quarter and hold a 64-57 lead at halftime.
Stephon Castle leads all scorers with 18 and OG Anunoby leads the Knicks with 17.
One thing to watch out for is how these teams start the third quarter. In both games of this series, the Knicks have sprinted out of the gates following halftime and built big leads over the Spurs only for Wembanyama and his team to make it close going into the final minutes.
The difference this time is that the Knicks will have the roars of their home crowd behind them if they make another big third-quarter run. It feels like the wave of emotion at MSG is still only building and has yet to crest.
Knicks fans frustrated with officiating in the first half
The crowd at MSG broke into a hearty “Ref you suck“ chant after a replay review failed to result in a flagrant foul on Stephon Castle, who had knocked Jalen Brunson to the ground.
Knicks fans have been frustrated with the officiating all evening — Victor Wembanyama received no foul call despite seeming to shove Brunson in the first quarter — and indeed, for much of Game 2 as well.
That frustration continued to manifest. With just seconds remaining in the half, and Karl-Anthony Towns on the free throw line, the crowd briefly chanted “f**k you Wemby.” Wembanyama responded by missing a turnaround jump shot to end the half.
In pictures: Trump attends Game 3
President Donald Trump has been watching tonight’s game from a box at Madison Square Garden.
He’s the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.
Fans had to arrive early due to heightened security measures, and there was a heavily secured perimeter at the arena ahead of Trump’s arrival.
Knicks draw even but the Spurs are bringing the pain
With a long Jalen Brunson 3-pointer, the Knicks take their first lead of the game with just under four-and-a-half minutes to play in the half.
And then they immediately go back behind after Victor Wembanyama sinks his own 3 to give the Spurs a two-point lead.
Some worrying moments as Brunson is laid out on the floor after a missed Dylan Harper 3-pointer after Stephon Castle just absolutely trucked the Knicks’ star guard.
Brunson fell hard on his back and laid on the court for a few seconds, grimacing in pain and holding the small of his back while his father, Rick Brunson – a Knicks assistant coach – screamed at the referees.
The play was ruled a common foul and not a flagrant, much to the chagrin of the crowd.
Just another moment of chippiness as the Spurs have ratcheted up the physicality in this game. They’re trying to impose their will on the Knicks and this crowd with hard fouls, something they did to great success against the Thunder in the previous round.
It’s not immediately clear the Knicks will take it lying down as the Thunder seemed to – it doesn’t take long for the Knicks to tie it up again as the first half nears a close. It’s 56-56 with 96 seconds to go.
