Be Kind Rewind: Knicks-Spurs Game 3

Gregory Shamus-Pool/Imagn Images

This was what we were used to in New York. After taking both road games, New York went to Madison Square Garden with one of the most hyped finals games in recent memory. From some of the most expensive seats to the president showing up in the press box. This felt like a Knicks loss before the game even started. 

San Antonio had a level of desperation early on that New York couldn’t match. Throughout the game, when New York had momentum or were gaining a lead, San Antonio shut it down. The defense by San Antonio felt like the piece that really led to the win. Going into game four, this could just be a blip for New York or a bigger sign of things to come.

Biggest Mistake: New York Letting San Antonio Get In Transition

For most of this series, San Antonio has been extremely inefficient in transition. The main cause for this is the neutralisation of Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart hustle plays during the game. The other factor can be that the early foul trouble from Bridges, which gave them the ability to get in a rhythm on that side of the floor.

Adjustment to Watch: The Referees Will Start Calling The Physicality

This felt like the breaking point. For most of the series, the refs have left a lot of physicality unseen, but as both teams have become more comfortable, we are seeing too much be overlooked. Outside of the obvious Wemby shove on Jalen Brunson (that would’ve been a flagrant 2 under their rules) it was a game where every screen looked like a hugging match. We’ve learned in series prior that once a benchmark of physicality has been set players will only increase until a whistle has been blown. After the cry out that will likely come from this game, this will be a game that can likely be determined by the officiating.

Biggest Takeaway: The Spurs Defense on Brunson Might Be Getting To Him

Over the first two games, San Antonio’s defense on Brunson has had the same story. After him struggling for most of the game will find his way. Their change this game is knowing that and adding that to their gameplan. They know Brunson will get his, but the level of energy and dribbles Brunson had to use to even get a chance at a good shot was astounding. During the late fourth, while getting big time shots, Brunson also had the turnover against Champagnie, which felt like an effect from that defense.   

Swing Factor: Fox’s Late Mid-Range Shot

After a good game two, Fox seems to be hitting his stride. During the game, he felt like the most reliable scorer outside of Wemby and saw a Fox that looked like the Sacramento King version of him. Throughout this season and the playoffs, Fox was seen as a comfort blanket for when San Antonio’s turnovers and youth felt too daunting. In this game, he just made the plays that while small at-times, were the ones that took the win for San Antonio.

Player of the Game: Victor Wembanyama

 Wemby kept it simple. After a stellar second half in game two, Wemby went into the game starting at the rim and slowly moving out farther. People’s biggest criticism of this series and most of his career has been wanting more rim pressure, and Wemby, in my opinion, blended both parts of his game perfectly. Unlike game two, his threes didn’t feel unnecessary and fit well in the flow of the game. Along with that, his early defensive presence set the tone for a Knicks team that seemed to find a way to move around the immovable object.