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Wembanyama and the Spurs on the brink of elimination in the 2026 NBA Finals
The magic of the NBA Finals often lies in those turnarounds that defy all logic. On the night of Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Brooklyn's Barclays Center became the stage for one of the greatest collapses in NBA Finals history. Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs squandered a 29-point lead and fell 107-106 to the New York Knicks. The result: the Spurs now have their backs against the wall, trailing 3-1 in the series, with possible elimination as early as Game 5 on Saturday in San Antonio.
A historic collapse in the second half
Everything had seemed to be going the Spurs' way at halftime of Game 4. Powered by an imperial Victor Wembanyama in the first half — 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting — and a defense of remarkable intensity, the Texans led by 29 points. The Knicks crowd had gradually been drained of its optimism. All that remained was to manage the end of the game.
But the NBA does not follow a script written in advance. In the second half, the Spurs collapsed. Wembanyama, who had been so incisive in the first half, scored only 8 points on his remaining 14 attempts. Worse still, the French prodigy missed two crucial free throws in the final minutes, leaving the door open for the Knicks.
In the end, it was OG Anunoby who twisted the knife. After a missed three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson, the Knicks wing grabbed the offensive rebound and scored the basket for 107-106 with 1.2 seconds left before the final buzzer. San Antonio had no time to respond. A win snatched in the final seconds that swings the series toward the Knicks.
Wembanyama: “It hurts”
At the press conference, Victor Wembanyama did not try to hide his pain or look for excuses. With the candor that has defined him since his arrival in the NBA, the 22-year-old Frenchman faced the situation head-on.
“I think it's just execution, a form of greed. We clearly weren't the hungrier team in the second half.”
A rare piece of self-criticism from a player of his caliber, publicly owning the collective flaws while pointing to the mental letdown that cost his team so dearly. He added: “It hurts. We worked so hard to get here, and to let leads like that slip away... It's painful.”
With 24 points and 13 rebounds, Wembanyama's stats remain respectable over the full game. But it is the second half that will stay in memory: just 8 points, 3-of-14 shooting, missed free throws. For a player who aims to be the best basketball player in the world, there is still a high bar to clear.
A mixed series so far for the Spurs
To understand the situation, you have to look back at the whole series. The Knicks won Games 1 and 2 by the slimmest of margins — each time in the final seconds. It was notably in Game 2 that Wembanyama missed a mid-range shot in the final second that could have forced overtime. Another wound in the Spurs' progression.
San Antonio responded with pride in Game 3, winning at Madison Square Garden, the mythical temple of New York basketball. Wembanyama then delivered a major performance — 32 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists — alongside Stephon Castle's 23 points. A victory that suggested the series was far from over.
But Game 4 shattered that positive momentum in the worst possible way. The Spurs handed the Knicks the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. An indelible stain on what could have been a turning point in the series.
The Knicks one win from the title, 53 years later
On the New York side, the excitement is at its peak. The Knicks have not won the NBA title since 1973 — 53 long years of drought for one of the league's most iconic franchises. The city that never sleeps is buzzing at the idea of reconnecting with glory.
Jalen Brunson, the Knicks point guard, was once again impeccable in managing the momentum. Author of a three-pointer that sparked the comeback, he held firm under Wembanyama's pressure — including when the Frenchman shoved him during Game 3 in a gesture that went unnoticed by the referees but made the rounds online. His impassive reaction to the provocation then crystallized the image of a captain impossible to destabilize.
Back to San Antonio for a question of survival
Game 5 will be played Saturday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. For the Spurs, it is a matter of survival. Wembanyama and his teammates know that a home defeat would mark the end of their first NBA Finals appearance since the 2005 title won by Tim Duncan.
Basketball history is full of impossible 3-1 comebacks — LeBron James' Golden State Warriors in 2016 remain the absolute benchmark in that respect. But for Victor Wembanyama, who will probably experience other Finals during his career, the question is whether the lesson from Game 4 will be painful enough to trigger the necessary surge of pride.
One thing is certain: the whole world will be watching San Antonio on Saturday night. And Victor Wembanyama will have the chance to answer those who still doubt his ability to perform in the most intense moments on the NBA's grand stage.
Wembanyama and the Spurs on the brink of elimination in the 2026 NBA Finals
The magic of the NBA Finals often lies in those turnarounds that defy all logic. On the night of Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Brooklyn's Barclays Center became the stage for one of the greatest collapses in NBA Finals history. Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs squandered a 29-point lead and fell 107-106 to the New York Knicks. The result: the Spurs now have their backs against the wall, trailing 3-1 in the series, with possible elimination as early as Game 5 on Saturday in San Antonio.
A historic collapse in the second half
Everything had seemed to be going the Spurs' way at halftime of Game 4. Powered by an imperial Victor Wembanyama in the first half — 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting — and a defense of remarkable intensity, the Texans led by 29 points. The Knicks crowd had gradually been drained of its optimism. All that remained was to manage the end of the game.
But the NBA does not follow a script written in advance. In the second half, the Spurs collapsed. Wembanyama, who had been so incisive in the first half, scored only 8 points on his remaining 14 attempts. Worse still, the French prodigy missed two crucial free throws in the final minutes, leaving the door open for the Knicks.
In the end, it was OG Anunoby who twisted the knife. After a missed three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson, the Knicks wing grabbed the offensive rebound and scored the basket for 107-106 with 1.2 seconds left before the final buzzer. San Antonio had no time to respond. A win snatched in the final seconds that swings the series toward the Knicks.
Wembanyama: “It hurts”
At the press conference, Victor Wembanyama did not try to hide his pain or look for excuses. With the candor that has defined him since his arrival in the NBA, the 22-year-old Frenchman faced the situation head-on.
“I think it's just execution, a form of greed. We clearly weren't the hungrier team in the second half.”
A rare piece of self-criticism from a player of his caliber, publicly owning the collective flaws while pointing to the mental letdown that cost his team so dearly. He added: “It hurts. We worked so hard to get here, and to let leads like that slip away... It's painful.”
With 24 points and 13 rebounds, Wembanyama's stats remain respectable over the full game. But it is the second half that will stay in memory: just 8 points, 3-of-14 shooting, missed free throws. For a player who aims to be the best basketball player in the world, there is still a high bar to clear.
A mixed series so far for the Spurs
To understand the situation, you have to look back at the whole series. The Knicks won Games 1 and 2 by the slimmest of margins — each time in the final seconds. It was notably in Game 2 that Wembanyama missed a mid-range shot in the final second that could have forced overtime. Another wound in the Spurs' progression.
San Antonio responded with pride in Game 3, winning at Madison Square Garden, the mythical temple of New York basketball. Wembanyama then delivered a major performance — 32 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists — alongside Stephon Castle's 23 points. A victory that suggested the series was far from over.
But Game 4 shattered that positive momentum in the worst possible way. The Spurs handed the Knicks the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. An indelible stain on what could have been a turning point in the series.
The Knicks one win from the title, 53 years later
On the New York side, the excitement is at its peak. The Knicks have not won the NBA title since 1973 — 53 long years of drought for one of the league's most iconic franchises. The city that never sleeps is buzzing at the idea of reconnecting with glory.
Jalen Brunson, the Knicks point guard, was once again impeccable in managing the momentum. Author of a three-pointer that sparked the comeback, he held firm under Wembanyama's pressure — including when the Frenchman shoved him during Game 3 in a gesture that went unnoticed by the referees but made the rounds online. His impassive reaction to the provocation then crystallized the image of a captain impossible to destabilize.
Back to San Antonio for a question of survival
Game 5 will be played Saturday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. For the Spurs, it is a matter of survival. Wembanyama and his teammates know that a home defeat would mark the end of their first NBA Finals appearance since the 2005 title won by Tim Duncan.
Basketball history is full of impossible 3-1 comebacks — LeBron James' Golden State Warriors in 2016 remain the absolute benchmark in that respect. But for Victor Wembanyama, who will probably experience other Finals during his career, the question is whether the lesson from Game 4 will be painful enough to trigger the necessary surge of pride.
One thing is certain: the whole world will be watching San Antonio on Saturday night. And Victor Wembanyama will have the chance to answer those who still doubt his ability to perform in the most intense moments on the NBA's grand stage.
Wembanyama and the Spurs on the brink of elimination in the 2026 NBA Finals
The magic of the NBA Finals often lies in those turnarounds that defy all logic. On the night of Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Brooklyn's Barclays Center became the stage for one of the greatest collapses in NBA Finals history. Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs squandered a 29-point lead and fell 107-106 to the New York Knicks. The result: the Spurs now have their backs against the wall, trailing 3-1 in the series, with possible elimination as early as Game 5 on Saturday in San Antonio.
A historic collapse in the second half
Everything had seemed to be going the Spurs' way at halftime of Game 4. Powered by an imperial Victor Wembanyama in the first half — 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting — and a defense of remarkable intensity, the Texans led by 29 points. The Knicks crowd had gradually been drained of its optimism. All that remained was to manage the end of the game.
But the NBA does not follow a script written in advance. In the second half, the Spurs collapsed. Wembanyama, who had been so incisive in the first half, scored only 8 points on his remaining 14 attempts. Worse still, the French prodigy missed two crucial free throws in the final minutes, leaving the door open for the Knicks.
In the end, it was OG Anunoby who twisted the knife. After a missed three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson, the Knicks wing grabbed the offensive rebound and scored the basket for 107-106 with 1.2 seconds left before the final buzzer. San Antonio had no time to respond. A win snatched in the final seconds that swings the series toward the Knicks.
Wembanyama: “It hurts”
At the press conference, Victor Wembanyama did not try to hide his pain or look for excuses. With the candor that has defined him since his arrival in the NBA, the 22-year-old Frenchman faced the situation head-on.
“I think it's just execution, a form of greed. We clearly weren't the hungrier team in the second half.”
A rare piece of self-criticism from a player of his caliber, publicly owning the collective flaws while pointing to the mental letdown that cost his team so dearly. He added: “It hurts. We worked so hard to get here, and to let leads like that slip away... It's painful.”
With 24 points and 13 rebounds, Wembanyama's stats remain respectable over the full game. But it is the second half that will stay in memory: just 8 points, 3-of-14 shooting, missed free throws. For a player who aims to be the best basketball player in the world, there is still a high bar to clear.
A mixed series so far for the Spurs
To understand the situation, you have to look back at the whole series. The Knicks won Games 1 and 2 by the slimmest of margins — each time in the final seconds. It was notably in Game 2 that Wembanyama missed a mid-range shot in the final second that could have forced overtime. Another wound in the Spurs' progression.
San Antonio responded with pride in Game 3, winning at Madison Square Garden, the mythical temple of New York basketball. Wembanyama then delivered a major performance — 32 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists — alongside Stephon Castle's 23 points. A victory that suggested the series was far from over.
But Game 4 shattered that positive momentum in the worst possible way. The Spurs handed the Knicks the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. An indelible stain on what could have been a turning point in the series.
The Knicks one win from the title, 53 years later
On the New York side, the excitement is at its peak. The Knicks have not won the NBA title since 1973 — 53 long years of drought for one of the league's most iconic franchises. The city that never sleeps is buzzing at the idea of reconnecting with glory.
Jalen Brunson, the Knicks point guard, was once again impeccable in managing the momentum. Author of a three-pointer that sparked the comeback, he held firm under Wembanyama's pressure — including when the Frenchman shoved him during Game 3 in a gesture that went unnoticed by the referees but made the rounds online. His impassive reaction to the provocation then crystallized the image of a captain impossible to destabilize.
Back to San Antonio for a question of survival
Game 5 will be played Saturday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. For the Spurs, it is a matter of survival. Wembanyama and his teammates know that a home defeat would mark the end of their first NBA Finals appearance since the 2005 title won by Tim Duncan.
Basketball history is full of impossible 3-1 comebacks — LeBron James' Golden State Warriors in 2016 remain the absolute benchmark in that respect. But for Victor Wembanyama, who will probably experience other Finals during his career, the question is whether the lesson from Game 4 will be painful enough to trigger the necessary surge of pride.
One thing is certain: the whole world will be watching San Antonio on Saturday night. And Victor Wembanyama will have the chance to answer those who still doubt his ability to perform in the most intense moments on the NBA's grand stage.
