Victor Wembanyama remains confident in the San Antonio Spurs’ ability to complete a comeback despite trailing the New York Knicks 3-1 in their first-round NBA playoff series. The Spurs squandered a 29-point lead in Game 4 and also had multiple chances to close out Games 1 and 2 at home. The Knicks are just +8 in the series, despite holding the commanding series lead.
Wembanyama was asked by Sam Amick of The Athletic about the Spurs' mindset heading into Game 5 and whether they believe a comeback is possible. The 20-year-old superstar responded with unwavering belief.
"Absolutely," said Wembanyama. "Everybody thinks, everybody knows, we're going to do it."
The Spurs’ struggles have been puzzling. The team entered the series with the NBA’s second-best regular-season record at 56-26. But New York has played them tough, with the Spurs winning only one of the first four games. Wembanyama has averaged 26.3 points and 10.5 rebounds through the series, but his supporting cast has been inconsistent.
When asked if the Spurs are thinking about multiple games at once, Wembanyama clarified their approach.
"I don't know if I agree with you. I feel like we need to isolate that one game and take it one game at time.
"I think it would be a mistake to waste our energy on multiple games. It's one game at a time."
After Game 4’s heartbreaker, Wembanyama reflected on the team’s mindset.
"I think it's going to go one of two ways," said Wembanyama. "One of two ways. A bad one and a good one.
"The bad one would be giving up. The good one would be getting stronger through this, getting more together. I know this is what we're going to do."
San Antonio’s Game 5 will be a must-win at MSG. The Spurs have a 3-1 home record in the playoffs this year, while New York is 1-3 on the road. The Knicks have won just three of their last 10 games overall, but they’ve found a way to win this series.
The Spurs will need to adjust their playmaking and shooting. They’ve shot just 36.2% from three-point range in the series, well below their regular-season average of 39.1%. Wembanyama has been a bright spot, but San Antonio’s role players must step up.
Game 5 is set for Thursday night. If the Spurs lose, the series will be over. If they win, it shifts to a 3-2 New York lead and forces the Knicks to close it out on the road.
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