Victor Wembanyama carries Spurs to win, cutting Knicks' NBA Finals lead to 2-1

By — Brian Mahoney, Associated Press Brian Mahoney, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/victor-wembanyama-carries-spurs-to-win-cutting-knicks-nba-finals-lead-to-2-1 Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Victor Wembanyama carries Spurs to win, cutting Knicks' NBA Finals lead to 2-1 Nation Jun 9, 2026 1:00 PM EDT NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama has his first NBA Finals win — and the New York Knicks suddenly have a lot of work left to end their 53-year championship drought. Wembanyama had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists, carrying the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-111 victory Monday night that cut the Knicks' lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. READ MORE: Trump booed by NBA Finals crowd prior to Game 3 San Antonio is trying to make a first-of-its-kind NBA Finals comeback, and the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, with his array of skills, makes anything look possible. "I'm sure Victor has numerous sources of motivation," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "I don't think any of us are surprised or expect anything different than a strong performance." The Spurs handed the Knicks their first loss in 46 days and potentially salvaged their season in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd that included President Donald Trump. The Knicks had their 13-game winning streak, the second-longest in NBA postseason history, snapped and missed a chance to move to the brink of their first title since 1973. Their previous loss occurred on April 23 in a one-point defeat to the Atlanta Hawks. They won the next three against Atlanta, swept Philadelphia and Cleveland and took the first two games against the Spurs. READ MORE: NYC imposes stringent security as Trump becomes 1st sitting U.S. president to attend NBA Finals game The run stirred New York into a frenzy, with raucous watch parties, fans paying outrageous sums of money for tickets and "Knicks In Four" becoming a daily greeting on streets, subway cars and in workplaces. But Wembanyama and the Spurs ended the streak and ruined the Knicks' first home NBA Finals game since 1999. "At home, it really feels like playing six against five. Here, it feels like five against six," Wembanyama said. "It really shows what teams are made of." Knicks coach Mike Brown complained about the Spurs' 24-8 advantage in free throw attempts in the second half. "I tell the guys, it's a seven-game series for a reason," Brown said. "They are a great team. They are well-coached. They have an iconic player. It's not going to be easy." Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox hit big shots late as the Spurs avoided falling into a 3-0 hole, which no NBA team has escaped. Now they can tie the series Wednesday night and are guaranteed another game at home, with Game 5 scheduled for Saturday. Castle finished with 23 points as the Spurs got started in their quest to become the first team to win the NBA Finals after losing the first two games at home. Jalen Brunson