The San Antonio Spurs came into Monday night’s game facing a 2-0 deficit, a precarious position for a young team to be in on the NBA’s biggest stage. However, with Victor Wembanyama rising to the New York Knicks’ challenge, the Spurs came away with a 115-111 victory, successfully preventing a sweep.
Despite facing a hostile environment in New York, Victor Wembanyama ripped the heart out of Knicks fans, who were eagerly waiting to see their team win their first NBA Finals game at home in 27 years. While such a feat could be comparable to Trae Young‘s playoff performance against the Knicks in 2021, during his postgame interview, Wembanyama didn’t feel like he had reached that level.
When asked by a reporter whether he felt like he was New York’s newest villain, Wembanyama smiled and responded:
“I guess. I’m nowhere near Trae Young-level, though.”
What Trae Young did to the Knicks fan base in 2021 is hard to put into words. While masterfully ending New York’s postseason run in the first round, Young became a nightmarish figure for fans in New York. Considering that the hate for the former Hawks superstar still burns strongly within the fandom, it is hard to imagine whether Wembanyama will be able to live up to those standards after just one game.
In a follow-up response, Victor Wembanyama also highlighted how the hostile crowd at Madison Square Garden motivated them to play better, stating:
“At home, it really feels like playing six against five. In here, it feels like playing five against six. But I agree with Luke [Kornet]; it really shows what teams are made of.”
In the face of adversity, the Spurs came out on top again, a true spectacle of their resilience. After a spectacular performance by the team across the board, San Antonio finally appears to have hit its stride in the NBA Finals.
Victor Wembanyama Reveals What Helped Him Prepare For Game 3
Coming into Game 3 on the road, Victor Wembanyama was facing some harsh criticism. Although it was evident that the Spurs’ superstar had been among the most dominant players in this year’s playoffs, the big man looked jaded when facing the Knicks and Karl-Anthony Towns in the first two games.
While this raised concerns, Wembanyama bounced back strong, posting 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and three blocks on 11-18 shooting from the field on Monday night. When asked what helped him achieve clarity going into this game, Wembanyama shared:
“I really tried to relax. The playoffs are like a whirlwind. It’s hard to put your head out of the water. Sometimes it’s like, I don’t need to watch the game right away. I just need a little time off. Let my brain cool down and recover. Recover as much for the body as for the mind.”
Victor Wembanyama’s holistic approach toward ensuring his well-being going into this critical matchup certainly paid off, as the Spurs gained a new lease on life in this series. With the big man also appearing to have found some solutions to the predicaments he was facing earlier in the series, there is reason to believe that the Spurs could be more threatening moving forward.
One way or another, it is clear that the series will head back to San Antonio for Game 5, but this doesn’t mean San Antonio can take their foot off the gas.
The Knicks have already proven themselves as tough competitors. In this regard, Monday night’s loss will do little to faze them. With an opportunity to level the series in Game 4, the Spurs would be advised to bring the same energy on Wednesday night. Given how much of their success depends on Victor Wembanyama, the big man must step up to the plate again.
