For two games, Jalen Brunson had been living in Victor Wembanyama’s head. By the time Game 3 arrived, the frustration was impossible to hide. In a heated moment inside the paint, Wembanyama delivered a shove to the back of Brunson’s head, sending the Knicks star crashing to the floor and igniting an immediate confrontation. The play unfolded away from the officials’ attention, allowing San Antonio’s franchise centerpiece to escape punishment in real time. But the message was unmistakable.

The slowed-down replay showed the force with which Wembanyama pushed Brunson’s head. Richard Jefferson, calling the game, had a wild reaction to the sequence that went unnoticed.

“Watch this play, this is what frustrated Brunson.” After seeing the replay, RJ exclaimed, “Oh, woah! Excuse me, that should be a flagrant 1,” the former Cavaliers forward said on the broadcast.

Brunson had spent the first two games relentlessly attacking the Spurs, dictating the action and forcing San Antonio onto its heels. In Game 3, Wembanyama finally responded. With a flash of emotion rarely seen from the normally composed 22-year-old.

As Brunson fought for position during a Knicks possession, attempting to muscle Wembanyama out of the paint, the Spurs star answered with a forceful shove that instantly changed the tone of the sequence. Brunson rose, exchanged words, and moved on without losing his cool. Moments later, he was back to work, setting a screen for a teammate.

There was significant force behind the shove as well, the kind of reckless push that looked more at home in a backyard pickup game than an NBA playoff contest. Yet despite the obvious reaction from both players, the officials never stopped to review the sequence.

Normally, Victor Wembanyama isn’t a ‘dirty’ star. However, the playoffs are about the survival of the toughest.

Wemby has suffered immense punishment during this Finals run. During the WCF, Isaiah Hartenstein wrapped his hands during rebounds during the Spurs’ series against OKC. Wembanyama’s been pushed away from the ball far too many times to even count. He gave some of it back to a player who is influencing the game just as much as him.

Wembanyama’s been a force in Game 3 so far, playing with high physicality on the road. Jalen Brunson’s impact has been limited due to early foul trouble.

The San Antonio Spurs are fighting against history

For many of the Spurs players, this is their first NBA Finals, let alone postseason. Having home court advantage is meant to ease some of the pressure of the NBA’s biggest series. But the Spurs shockingly lost both, in ways they could never imagine. Greg Popovich came through with some golden words after the Spurs went down 0-2.

“Pretty much his message was, ‘Just let the last two games go.’ It happened. They were very winnable games. We feel like we gave them those games,” Stephon Castle revealed in preparation for Game 3.

There’s no precedent for how teams must act after dropping the first two home games. Those who have done so in the NBA Finals have never won a series.

So Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs need to be uncomfortable. They need to do things they wouldn’t normally do, since it’s the only way to disrupt the New York Knicks’ rhythm. In some ways, it has helped.

The Spurs currently hold a slight lead in their first home game of the series. It’s imperative to win Game 3, just so San Antonio can build some of their own momentum to make for an intriguing series. For a playoff team who haven’t lost in 13 games, a home game loss could play some ugly tricks on their minds.

Victor Wembanyama has understood the assignment and how important it is for him to impose himself. He has recorded 26 points and 7 rebounds while playing disciplined basketball. The Spurs have also been much sharper, only turning the ball over seven times with a little over half of the fourth quarter remaining.

It’s now their job to close out this game. The Spurs had that chance at home and blew it a few days back. It doesn’t look like they are keeping any punches to themselves this time. They’ve defended Brunson well, particularly limiting him to just four assists for the game. The Knicks star has also recorded the most turnovers in the game, with four.

San Antonio wants to avenge what has happened in the series thus far. Do you think they will see out Game 3? Let us know your views in the comments below.