Victor Wembanyama Gets Clear Warning Ahead of Game 4 at Madison Square Garden
The San Antonio Spurs shut down any momentum the New York Knicks had on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, walking away with a 115-111 win and cutting New York’s series lead to 2-1.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama led the way with 32 points along with eight rebounds, six assists, and three blocks, but arguably the biggest talking point came from what he did to Knicks star Jalen Brunson.
During the first quarter, Brunson was trying to set a screen when Wemby grabbed him by the back of the head and forcefully shoved him to the ground, sending the 6-foot-2 guard crashing to the floor.
No foul was called, and the NBA later admitted the refs had missed the foul but declined to upgrade it to a flagrant foul.
The play has since sparked debate about whether it was a dirty play or just physical playoff basketball.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jay Williams chimed in, arguing that the pressure is now on the Knicks to push back.
“Let somebody put their hands on me like that. Let somebody do that. And in a moment like this, somebody needs to put an elbow to the chest or the rib cage of Victor Wembanyama,” Williams said. “Fans at home may not like this; they can say it’s dirty, but there’s a certain aspect of your team that when your star player gets mushed like that, you have to respond.”
“Look for multiple shots to be delivered to Wemby tonight in Game 4,” he added.
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Every championship team has enforcers. Not players looking to start fights, but players willing to set the tone and send a message when the other team goes after one of their stars.
The Knicks have plenty of candidates. OG Anunoby is 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds. Karl-Anthony Towns is nearly the same height as Wemby and 10-15 pounds heavier. And Josh Hart is never afraid to mix things up with the other team.
Yet, all three players were on the floor when Brunson got shoved, and none of them stepped up to Wemby.
Don’t expect things to stay that way in Game 4.
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Game 4 is on Wednesday night back at MSG with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET.
New York still leads the series 2-1, but another Spurs win would erase the Knicks’ advantage and send the NBA Finals back to San Antonio at two games apiece.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 12:16 PM.