Behind the Spurs’ unsung heroes helping to maximize Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals

At a glance, San Antonio’s 3-point efficiency in Game 3 — 12-for-34, 35.3% — doesn’t jump off the page. In fact, over the course of the NBA Finals, the Spurs are converting just over 11 3s per game at a 32.1% clip, figures that would rank 26th and dead last during the regular season.

However, it’s not simply what outside shots the Spurs are generating that’s given them hope in this series after they cut the Knicks’ lead to 2-1 following Game 3’s 115-111 win. It’s how they are being generated, a result of personnel, decision-making and spacing — all of which are intended to maximize Victor Wembanyama’s presence — that’s quietly changing how this matchup is viewed, particularly when both Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie are on the floor.

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Prior to the start of the Finals, we observed an oddity surrounding Vassell and Champagnie’s joint efficiency. For seven grueling games against the defending champions, there was never a game in which both shooters finished better than 40% from deep. The lack of consistency allowed Oklahoma City’s aggressive, funneling defense to take more risks than required, essentially conceding outside shots in favor of a complete erasure in the middle of the floor.

In Game 1, the Knicks picked up where the Thunder left off. Champagnie was effective, hitting five 3s at a 50% clip, but Vassell struggled, missing all but one of his six attempts. In Game 2, however, their fortunes improved. The Spurs still lost the game (off the back, literally, of one of the wildest sequences in recent Finals history), but Vassell and Champagnie finished with 43% and 40% marks, respectively.

Game 3 was a continuation of San Antonio’s shooting success pertaining to those two, with Vassell connecting on 75% of his 3s and Champagnie at 43%. It comes as no surprise that San Antonio’s best-performing lineup in terms of shot quality on Monday — a +17 in 19 possessions — was also their most-used lineup, featuring both Vassell and Champagnie. The improved and concerted playmaking prowess from Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox worked in tandem with the Spurs premier shooters to…

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Author : Kelly Iko

Publish date : 2026-06-09 21:45:00

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