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The New York Knicks dropped Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals, falling to the San Antonio Spurs 115-111. With Game 4 set for Wednesday, June 10 (8:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN), the Knicks face a pivotal opportunity to regain control of the series before it shifts back to San Antonio.
After a physical contest marked by inconsistent shooting and a steady stream of foul calls, Game 3 reinforced a simple reality: when one team plays with greater aggression, the margin for error becomes razor thin.
Was Game 3 simply a road win for the Spurs, or will it serve as a wake-up call for New York? Here are several areas the Knicks should address as they seek to build on a 2-1 series lead:
MORE: Celebrity row Knicks. What famous people were at Game 3
The Knicks struggled at times to contain San Antonio's backcourt, particularly second-year guard Stephon Castle.
Castle, who has emerged as the perfect complement to Victor Wembanyama, finished with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, the highest-scoring game of his NBA Finals career. It may be time for coach Mike Brown to consider moving Jalen Brunson off Castle defensively.
While much of New York's focus remains on Wembanyama, the Spurs have consistently generated offense through players such as De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Castle. Their ability to attack the paint and capitalize on defensive attention directed toward Wembanyama has created problems throughout the series.
If New York can switch Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby on one of the guards in late-game situations, the Knicks should have a problem moving forward.
Strong defense has become San Antonio's calling card, and it was a major factor in Game 3.
The Spurs forced 13 Knicks turnovers while committing just eight themselves. Those extra possessions translated into 21 points for San Antonio and proved critical in a game decided by four points.
New York's mistakes became especially costly in the second half. The Knicks were outscored 58-47 after halftime, with several untimely turnovers fueling San Antonio's comeback.
Brunson led the charge with five turnovers, known as a player who is very disciplined with the basketball, he has a chance to rewrite his mistakes as Game 4 approaches.
The Knicks offense never regained the rhythm it displayed during a 42-point second quarter.
Several of New York's key contributors struggled. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 11 points, while Bridges scored just two points on five shot attempts. Interestingly, both players were the only Knicks starters to post positive plus-minus ratings.
For one of the few times this postseason, New York relied heavily on three players offensively — Brunson, Anunoby and Josh Hart. Meanwhile, the Spurs received double-digit scoring performances from six different players, showcasing the depth that helped them secure the victory.
Everybody has to eat whether it's in the starting lineup or in the bench unit for the Knicks to go up two games heading back into San Antonio.
Much of the criticism surrounding the Knicks failure to reach the NBA Finals in 2025 centered on a thin rotation under former coach Tom Thibodeau.
Under Brown, New York has regularly used a deeper bench. However, the second unit failed to make a significant impact in Game 3.
The Knicks bench scored just 23 points, with Jordan Clarkson accounting for 10. Landry Shamet, who delivered several key performances earlier in the playoffs, went 1-for-7 from 3-point range in 23 minutes.
Mitchell Robinson scored five points, Jose Alvarado added four and Miles McBride was held scoreless. Without a true spark off the bench, New York struggled to match San Antonio's reserves, led by Harper.
Despite the narrow margin, officiating became a major topic after Game 3, particularly for Brown.
The controversy began early when Wembanyama forcefully shoved Brunson to the floor in the first quarter. Wembanyama extended his left arm and made contact with Brunson's upper back and neck area, a play some believed warranted a Flagrant 1 foul.
Later, Brunson was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul in the third quarter while closing out on a 3-point attempt by Julian Champagnie. Officials deemed the play reckless after Champagnie landed on Brunson's foot.
The decision drew criticism because a similar play involving Wembanyama contesting a Josh Hart 3-pointer was not called. Hart remained on his feet, but many questioned the inconsistency between the two rulings.
In a game decided by just four points, those disputed calls became a significant talking point. Whether they ultimately changed the outcome is open to debate, but the Knicks were left frustrated by several decisions that did not go their way.
It's time to recognize that frustration over calls won't help the cause.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: What the Knicks must improve for NBA Finals Game 4
Continue reading...
After a physical contest marked by inconsistent shooting and a steady stream of foul calls, Game 3 reinforced a simple reality: when one team plays with greater aggression, the margin for error becomes razor thin.
Was Game 3 simply a road win for the Spurs, or will it serve as a wake-up call for New York? Here are several areas the Knicks should address as they seek to build on a 2-1 series lead:
MORE: Celebrity row Knicks. What famous people were at Game 3
Keys to Knicks beating Spurs in Game 4: Closing out defensively
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The Knicks struggled at times to contain San Antonio's backcourt, particularly second-year guard Stephon Castle.
Castle, who has emerged as the perfect complement to Victor Wembanyama, finished with 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, the highest-scoring game of his NBA Finals career. It may be time for coach Mike Brown to consider moving Jalen Brunson off Castle defensively.
While much of New York's focus remains on Wembanyama, the Spurs have consistently generated offense through players such as De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Castle. Their ability to attack the paint and capitalize on defensive attention directed toward Wembanyama has created problems throughout the series.
If New York can switch Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby on one of the guards in late-game situations, the Knicks should have a problem moving forward.
Keys to Knicks beating Spurs in Game 4: Improve turnover margin
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Strong defense has become San Antonio's calling card, and it was a major factor in Game 3.
The Spurs forced 13 Knicks turnovers while committing just eight themselves. Those extra possessions translated into 21 points for San Antonio and proved critical in a game decided by four points.
New York's mistakes became especially costly in the second half. The Knicks were outscored 58-47 after halftime, with several untimely turnovers fueling San Antonio's comeback.
Brunson led the charge with five turnovers, known as a player who is very disciplined with the basketball, he has a chance to rewrite his mistakes as Game 4 approaches.
Keys to Knicks beating Spurs in Game 4: Do better on offense in the second half
You must be registered for see images attach
The Knicks offense never regained the rhythm it displayed during a 42-point second quarter.
Several of New York's key contributors struggled. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 11 points, while Bridges scored just two points on five shot attempts. Interestingly, both players were the only Knicks starters to post positive plus-minus ratings.
For one of the few times this postseason, New York relied heavily on three players offensively — Brunson, Anunoby and Josh Hart. Meanwhile, the Spurs received double-digit scoring performances from six different players, showcasing the depth that helped them secure the victory.
Everybody has to eat whether it's in the starting lineup or in the bench unit for the Knicks to go up two games heading back into San Antonio.
Keys to Knicks beating Spurs in Game 4: Second unit must pick it up
You must be registered for see images attach
Much of the criticism surrounding the Knicks failure to reach the NBA Finals in 2025 centered on a thin rotation under former coach Tom Thibodeau.
Under Brown, New York has regularly used a deeper bench. However, the second unit failed to make a significant impact in Game 3.
The Knicks bench scored just 23 points, with Jordan Clarkson accounting for 10. Landry Shamet, who delivered several key performances earlier in the playoffs, went 1-for-7 from 3-point range in 23 minutes.
Mitchell Robinson scored five points, Jose Alvarado added four and Miles McBride was held scoreless. Without a true spark off the bench, New York struggled to match San Antonio's reserves, led by Harper.
Keys to Knicks beating Spurs in Game 4: Let the refs' bad calls go
You must be registered for see images attach
Despite the narrow margin, officiating became a major topic after Game 3, particularly for Brown.
The controversy began early when Wembanyama forcefully shoved Brunson to the floor in the first quarter. Wembanyama extended his left arm and made contact with Brunson's upper back and neck area, a play some believed warranted a Flagrant 1 foul.
Later, Brunson was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul in the third quarter while closing out on a 3-point attempt by Julian Champagnie. Officials deemed the play reckless after Champagnie landed on Brunson's foot.
The decision drew criticism because a similar play involving Wembanyama contesting a Josh Hart 3-pointer was not called. Hart remained on his feet, but many questioned the inconsistency between the two rulings.
In a game decided by just four points, those disputed calls became a significant talking point. Whether they ultimately changed the outcome is open to debate, but the Knicks were left frustrated by several decisions that did not go their way.
It's time to recognize that frustration over calls won't help the cause.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: What the Knicks must improve for NBA Finals Game 4
Continue reading...
