As ‘Knicks in four’ chants grow louder, Wembanyama seeks Spurs response

DUBAI: As “Knicks in four” chants grow louder across New York, Victor Wembanyama is preparing to lead the San Antonio Spurs’ response.

Two wins from a championship. Two minutes from being level.

That is the story of the NBA Finals heading into Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, with tip-off scheduled for 4:30 a.m. GST on Tuesday, June 9.

The New York Knicks return home holding a 2-0 series lead and standing just two victories away from their first NBA title since 1973. The San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, face a must-win contest, knowing that no team in NBA history has ever recovered from a 3-0 playoff deficit.

Yet despite the scoreline, little has separated the two teams.

San Antonio held a one-point lead with just over two minutes remaining in Game 1 before the Knicks closed on an 11-0 run to secure a 105-95 victory. Two nights later, the Spurs again found themselves ahead in the final minute before New York escaped with a dramatic 105-104 win.

Those narrow defeats have reinforced a belief within the Spurs that the series remains far from over.

Standing in their way is a Knicks team that continues to find answers in the biggest moments.

Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, New York has won 13 consecutive playoff games, the second-longest postseason winning streak in NBA history, and become only the third team to open the Finals with two road victories, joining the 1993 Chicago Bulls and the 1995 Houston Rockets. Both teams went on to lift the championship trophy.

Despite the historic run, the Knicks insist they are focused only on the next challenge.

“Next game, mindset has to be 0-0 again,” Brunson said. “It’s just how it has to be. You can’t be comfortable. You can’t be satisfied with anything.”

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