Shaquille O'Neal on Victor Wembanyama Shoving Jalen Brunson in Game 3: "Keep Doing It"

It appears that things got heated in Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals. The New York Knicks hosted the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Heading into the game, the Knicks had all the momentum with a 2-0 series lead. Despite all that, the Spurs didn't seem to lose their fire as they fought back hard on Monday.

During one of the plays in the first quarter, Victor Wembanyama shoved Jalen Brunson in the head. Surprisingly, the officials made no call, and the play continued. NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal was pleased with Wemby's physicality and encouraged the young star to continue his methods.

"This is what you want to see," O'Neal said during the halftime show. "I like that move right there. You gotta let those little munchkins know. ... Keep doing it, Wemby. Tell Brunson, 'Get your little a** out of the way. I'm not winning by tactics, I'm busting your a**.'"

With 4:46 remaining in the opening period, the Knicks had possession. As Josh Hart was scouting who to pass the ball to, Stephon Castle and Wemby made sure not to allow Brunson any space. When Brunson posted up Wemby, the Spurs center pushed his head with a lot of force, causing the Knicks guard to get upset.

As Wembanyama was called back to the bench after the dead ball, he couldn't help but laugh at Brunson's frustrations.

Victor Wembanyama's Aggressiveness Wins the Spurs Game 3

For the past couple of games in the finals, many have criticized Victor Wembanyama for lacking the confidence and aggressiveness to win games. Before Game 3, he had poor shooting performances and made a plethora of crucial turnovers.

However, Monday's game in Madison Square Garden proved to be a different story. Wemby came into MSG ready for a fight. He got physical with his opponents, banging bodies and maximizing his height advantage.

Thanks to his activity on the hardwood, Wembanyama put up his best performance yet in the finals, adding 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and two steals, while shooting 50% from beyond the arc and 61.1% overall.

The San Antonio Spurs finally have their first victory in the series, still trailing 2-1, though. After dethroning the New York Knicks in their home court, this could have a psychological effect on them moving forward. If that were the case, the Spurs tying the series could turn into a reality.

Game 4 is set to take place on Wednesday. If the Wemby and the Spurs could somehow limit Karl-Anthony Towns' production, they might have an easier time trying to secure the victory. Towns was limited to 11 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and two blocks on Monday. The supposed 'Wemby Stopper' was nowhere to be found, which turned out for the better for San Antonio.