New York (AFP) – Victor Wembanyama scored 32 points to spark the San Antonio Spurs over New York 115-111 in the NBA Finals on Monday, snapping the Knicks’ 13-game win streak with President Donald Trump booed as he watched. Frenchman Wembanyama added eight rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and two steals at Madison Square Garden as the Spurs cut the Knicks’ lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven championship series.
“We’ve done what we were supposed to do but the job is absolutely not done,” the 22-year-old Wembanyama said. “We’re not even halfway. The hardest is yet to come.” A raucous crowd created an electric atmosphere for the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999. That included boos for Trump, the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game, when he was shown on the arena videoscreen.
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“At home it really feels like playing six against five,” said Wembanyama. “In here it feels like playing five against six, but … it really shows what teams are made of.” Expanded security measures for Trump’s attendance led to fans being asked to arrive two hours before the tip-off and cancellation of a watch party outside the arena. The Spurs knew no team had ever won an NBA playoff series after losing the first three games, helping push them after late-game blunders cost them in a game-two home loss.
“Less mistakes, more control,” the 7ft 4in (2.24m) Wembanyama said. “It’s the little things. We were more serious. Less mistakes. Less turnovers.” Stephon Castle added 23 points for the Spurs while Dylan Harper had 13 off the bench. “He has got great poise,” Wembanyama said of Castle. “It’s hard to put into words how valuable he is to us.”
Jalen Brunson led New York with 32 points while OG Anunoby added 28, but the Knicks shot 40-of-88 from the floor and only hit 13-of-37 from three-point range. “What was better in the defense was communication, being early,” said Wembanyama. The Knicks’ streak was halted two shy of the NBA playoff record of 15 wins by Golden State on the way to the 2017 title.
Knicks coach Mike Brown complained about the officiating while admitting the Spurs outplayed his team. “They won the game. They came and took the game,” Brown said. “But I will say this: I never thought I would be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free throw attempts in the second half to another team’s eight. That’s tough to overcome when you’re playing against a great team. Maybe we were fouling. But they fouled, too. There were opportunities for fouls to be called to at least try to even the free throws out.”
A Castle three-pointer lifted the Spurs ahead 111-104 with 1:53 remaining. Anunoby sank a free throw and Brunson added a three-pointer, but De’Aaron Fox made a clutch jump shot with 12.2 seconds remaining for a 113-108 San Antonio lead. Anunoby followed with a three-pointer to reduce the deficit to 113-111, but Castle sealed victory with two final free throws.
“I just thought we were in attack mode,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “We showed better poise at times. I thought we finished the game still with some things that need improvement, but stronger than we did the first two games.” Game four is also in New York, on Wednesday. The Spurs are seeking their sixth NBA title and first since 2014 while the Knicks won their only crowns in 1970 and 1973.
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