Spurs' Victor Wembanyama shakes off Game 2 miss by taking over Game 3 of the NBA Finals

NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama sat in Gramercy Park on Sunday and drew the statue of 19th-century Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth.

It was “not bad, pretty good,” Wembanyama said. Turns out, it was the perfect mind-clearing activity that helped him shake off his miss at the buzzer in Game 2 and take over Game 3 of the NBA Finals, preventing the San Antonio Spurs from getting pushed to the brink of elimination.

“I really tried to relax,” Wembanyama said. “The playoffs is like a whirlwind. It’s hard to put your head out of the water, and sometimes it’s like I don’t even (have) to watch the game back, by the way. I just need a little time off, let my brain cool down and recover — recover as much for the body as for the mind.”

Wembanyama made the first two shots he attempted on Monday night on the way to scoring 32 points in a 115-111 victory at the New York Knicks. He had nine points in the first five minutes, including an alley-oop on the first basket of the game and a dunk on the next possession

Coach Mitch Johnson said getting the ball to Wembanyama inside was not a strategy different than any other game.

“We never told Victor don’t shoot an open 3-point shot, even if it’s early in the game,” Johnson said. “We wanted to put pressure on the paint and the rim.”

Wembanyama was a force on both ends of the court, especially late when it mattered most.

After delivering the pass to Keldon Johnson for his layup that tied the score at 76 with 5:38 left in the third, Wembanyama hit a 3-pointer from 29 feet out to put the Spurs ahead. He scored the first basket of what turned into a dominant fourth quarter, later drawing a foul and making a pair of free throws for San Antonio’s 99th and 100th points.

“Wemby played great,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “He had probably seven lob dunks because we didn’t follow attention to detail and try to take that away.”

With four minutes left and the Knicks looking to stage another comeback, the 7-foot-4 big man from France surged to block what looked to be an easy layup by Landry Shamet.

Wembanyama finished with eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks in what was close to a must-win situation. No team has fallen behind 3-0 in the finals and come back to win the series.

“I don’t think any of us are surprised or expect anything different than a strong performance and him being on his front foot in terms of being in attack mode,” Mitch Johnson said.

Teammates were not at all worried about Wembanyama in the aftermath of the 22-year-old star clanking a shot off the rim that would have been the Game 2 winner. Johnson said his recommendation was to shoot again and made clear the Spurs want the ball in Wembanyama's hands at important moments.

Before the game, Brown said of containing Wembanyama, "You hope you can make him work at the end of the day, and you hope he misses some shots.”

Wembanyama missed seven shots from the floor, going 11 of 18 and silencing the crowd that at one point directed a vulgar chant his way. Asked if he was becoming the latest New York villain, he quipped: “I guess. I’m nowhere near Trae Young level, though.”

He could surpass the longtime Atlanta Hawks and now-Washington Wizards guard as soon as Game 4 Wednesday, when Wembanyama gets the chance to help the Spurs try to even the series in Game 4 back at Madison Square Garden.

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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) passes as New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson defends during the first half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama is introduced prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, left, tries to drive past New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) pulls down a rebound over New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks on during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

NEW YORK (AP) — Inside Madison Square Garden, Spike Lee wore a Knicks jersey with Pope Leo's name on the back. On the concourse and the street, fans in blue and orange cheered and chanted. Watch parties sprung up all over the city, including one at a Brooklyn funeral home.

Knicks fever reached a new peak Monday night, with New York hosting Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Shouts of “Let's go Knicks!” and “Knicks in four!” were heard throughout midtown Manhattan, with spirits up even as tight security measures for the presence of President Donald Trump caused hours-long lines to get in.

The excitement extended until just about the final buzzer, when the Spurs finished off a 115-111 victory that ended New York's 13-game postseason winning streak. San Antonio trimmed its series deficit to 2-1 and avoided getting pushed to the brink of elimination.

With the Knicks in the finals for the first time since 1999 and leading the best-of-seven series 2-0, their first home game this round was a hot ticket. The get-in price exceeded the average cost of rent in the biggest U.S. city.

“This is my son here, so taking him to the finals, you can’t really put a price on the experience,” said Greg Weldon, who flew in from Florida to attend a finals game as he did when New York won it all in 1970 and '73. “It’s like that commercial: The tickets, ridiculous; the hassle getting in, ridiculous — the experience, priceless.”

The cheapest upper-deck seats available were going for over $5,000 on resale platforms like StubHub, SeatGeek and VividSeats. The experience of being courtside carried a $75,000 price tag.

“I don’t care who you are, that’s a lot of money for a ticket,” said guard Jose Alvarado, a New York native who was planning a viewing party in Brooklyn and pointed out his Queens high school also is hosting one. “People that could afford it, we’re grateful with them coming out, and it just shows you our team is really special and we’re doing something here that hasn’t been done in a long time.”

The hoopla for Game 3 included the appearance by Trump, booed by fans when he was shown on arena video screens, as well as Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, Giants two-time Super Bowl-wining quarterback Eli Manning, actor Daniel Radcliff and more.

Trump's presence led to the cancellation of a planned watch party outside the arena. There was instead one a few blocks away in Bryant Park, which included police intervening in at least one altercation among people gathered, according to video from the scene.

Officers also shut down an unauthorized viewing party when the game was projected onto the side of a building on 33rd Street not far from The Garden.

The possibility of a sweep drove ticket prices up to more than $10,000 apiece over the weekend, and the price is about the same for an if-necessary Game 6, which is more likely now after San Antonio guaranteed a Game 5 back in Texas.

Fewer than 20,000 people will get the opportunity to attend each night in the Big Apple. Alvarado knows far more will be watching on television all over.

“The people that can’t afford it, we improvise,” he said. "We’re New Yorkers. We’re going to find a way to watch a game, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Associated Press writer Philip Marcelo contributed to this report.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Fans cheer before a NBA Finals playoff basketball game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, June 8, 2026, with Kai Trump. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

New York Knicks fans cheer at a watch party during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

A New York Knicks fan cheers at a watch party during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

A New York Knicks fan emerges from a subway station outside of Madison Square Garden ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

A New York Knicks fan gestures outside of Madison Square Garden ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

A New York Knicks fan gestures outside of Madison Square Garden ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

Security is set up outside of Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, June 8, 2026, as President Donald Trump is set to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

A fan takes a selfie with a robot dressed in New York Knicks gear holding a broom near Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, June 8, 2026, ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

The San Antonio Spurs practice prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The New York Knicks practice prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown watches practice prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Friday, June 5, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)