Finals Film Study: Victor Wembanyama finds way to rim in Game 3

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NEW YORK — After two ugly games at home, the San Antonio Spurs’ offense finally broke out in Game 3 of the Finals at Madison Square Garden.

With every game in this series, Victor Wembanyama has gotten more efficient. And as the Spurs ended the New York Knicks’ 13-game winning streak, he led the way with 32 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field.

Of those 32 points, 22 came at the rim (where he shot 7-for-9) or from the free throw line (8-for-9). Wembanyama played big and was a big problem for the Knicks, who couldn’t keep him away from the basket as much as they were able to earlier in the series.

After scoring just 100.5 points per 100 possessions through the first two games, the Spurs scored 115 on only 93 (123.7 per 100) on Monday, their most efficient performance since their series-clinching Game 6 in Minnesota in the Western Conference semifinals.

Here are some notes, numbers and film on how the Spurs got Wembanyama cleaner rolls to the basket in Game 3.

1. Getting tagged

For most of the series, the Knicks have made sure that Wembanyama hasn’t gone untouched as he rolls to the rim after setting a ball screen. The best example was Jalen Brunson throwing his shoulder into the Spurs’ big man as Dylan Harper drove midway through the fourth quarter of Game 1 …

That play was one that the Spurs have run often, a “horns” set where the ball-handler has the choice of two high screens, with two shooters in the corners. But if the ball-handler chooses to use the Wembanyama screen, there’s another defender (Brunson) right there to “tag” him as he tries to roll to the basket.

Yes, it’s a physical sacrifice for the 6-foot-2 guard to bodycheck the 7-foot-5 center, but at least he doesn’t have to travel far to do it.

2. One less tagger

But what if you took that player away?

Often in the NBA, when a team runs a high pick-and-roll, there’s one offensive player on the strong side of the floor (the direction where the ball-handler is going) and two on the weak side. Against the Knicks’ rim-protecting screen, that makes sense, as it gives the offense two shooters where the Knicks’ defense is weakest. Plus, the Spurs got some open weak-side 3s early in Game 1.

In Game 3, Wembanyama set 35 ball-screens, the third-highest total in his 19 playoff games. Of the 35, 16 of them had two players on the weak side.

But late in the second quarter, right after the Knicks took their first lead of the game, the Spurs found something with two players on the strong side. Julian Champagnie was in the left corner, and Harper was in the left “dunker” spot (on the baseline, just outside the paint). That left Devin Vassell (deep in the right corner) as the lone Spurs player on the weak side as Wembanyama set a ball screen for De’Aaron Fox.

With Vassell so far away, the Knicks had nobody to tag Wembanyama as he rolled into the paint. Both Jordan Clarkson (Vassell) and Josh Hart (Harper) collapsed into the paint after Wembanyama caught the ball, but now the Knicks were a little scrambled.

Wembanyama kicked the ball to Champagnie, who attacked Brunson’s closeout and kicked the ball back out to Wembanyama for a relocation 3-pointer …

The Spurs went to the same action on the very next possession. Again, there was no tag from the weak side, and as OG Anunoby switched onto Fox, Wembanyama sealed Mikal Bridges and then rolled to the rim for an alley-oop dunk…

The same one-on-the-weak-side action got Wembanyama an open, pick-and-pop jumper early in the third quarter. When they ran it with Harper handling the ball in the fourth, Fox was the lone weak-side player and was positioned near the top of the arc. That allowed Anunoby to tag Wembanyama, but Fox then got an open 3-point attempt before Anunoby could recover.

3. Can’t give Wemby a runway

Wembanyama’s final basket of the night was another lob from Fox. This time, there were two Spurs on the weak side, giving the Knicks a better opportunity to tag Wembanyama.

But, while Anunoby grabbed him a little while he fought through the screen, Landry Shamet (guarding Devin Vassell high) didn’t tag him, and Hart arrived a little too late from the low spot …

If Wembanyama continues to get cleaner rolls to the rim, more things open up for the Spurs. Of their 34 3-point attempts on Monday, 20 (59%) were wide open, up from 43% (31/72) through the first two games.

All three games of the Finals have been remarkably competitive, but now, the Spurs’ offense is here. And they didn’t even shoot well (6-for-20) on those wide-open 3s.

If they continue to get Wembanyama rolling to the rim in Game 4 on Wednesday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), this series could be even as it heads back to San Antonio.

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