There was no one else but Victor Wembanyama who was blamed for the San Antonio Spurs dropping Game 2 of the NBA Finals at home. Not only did he throw away the Spurs’ opportunity to have the game-winning possession, but he even settled for an ill-advised shot to win the game, ruining his moment of redemption.
In Game 3, however, Wemby responded exactly the way generational players should – taking the loss to heart and carrying the team on his back.
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He scored a game-high 32 points, along with eight rebounds and three blocks, to end the Knicks‘ 13-game winning streak and silence a hostile Madison Square Garden crowd.
While Stephen A. Smith appreciated Wembanyama’s willingness to take ownership and bounce back, he was stunned by something else entirely – how easily the Knicks allowed someone like Wemby, who might be 7’4″ but is extremely thin, to manhandle their player with over-aggressive physicality.
“This is where embarrassment comes in,” Smith said on First Take. “As gifted as Victor Wembanyama is, have you looked at him? Physically? He’s a pole from toe all the way up to his head… You having a hard time being physical with that? You supposed to look at that and laugh. Outside of Chet, I don’t know if there is a skinnier dude than Victor Wembanyama.”
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Smith urges the Knicks to pull up their socks
A moment in the first quarter of Game 3 itself became a huge talking point. With Jalen Brunson trying to defend the Frenchman at the free-throw line, Wemby, quite literally, held the Knicks guard by his head and shoved him to the ground.
As shocking as it was to see all the refs miss that foul call, Wembanyama was seen smiling cheekily at Brunson for learning his lesson not to stand in his way, the hard way.
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Interestingly, that isn’t the only occasion where Victor has bullied a smaller Knicks guard.
Previously, in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, when Jose Alvarado tried boxing out the French center, trying to restrict him from grabbing a rebound, Victor shoved him out of the way. As evident as that action was, no foul was called.
As the instances keep on aggravating game after game, Smith urged the Knicks players to man up and send Wembanyama a straightforward message, especially when Smith, himself, claimed to be more muscular than the recently crowned DPOY.
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“I mean, it’s a straight shot, ain’t no width with him whatsoever,” Smith added. “He makes me look like a bodybuilder, that’s how small this brother looks.”
The call for the Knicks players to send Wemby a message is on
Stephen A. isn’t the only individual to have urged the Knicks players to pull up their socks in this aspect.
Previously, even former NBA champion Channing Frye also voiced his concern, suggesting that perhaps the Knicks’ role players, who have limited minutes and smaller responsibilities, should make it a point to set boundaries, showing Wemby & Co. that overly physical antics will not be tolerated.
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Put simply, Frye’s argument was not necessarily about retaliation but about establishing a tone.
“He got to get hit in the ribs. Jordan Clarkson? Mitchell Robinson?” Frye said. “Take that, flagrant.”
Now it remains to be seen how the Knicks respond to the Spurs’ young core with thousands of fans behind them, encouraging them to put the opposition in their rightful place.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
