AI Summary
5 min readThe San Antonio Spurs blew a 14-point lead in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals, losing 105-95 to the New York Knicks at home. But the real story, according to Ben Maller, is not the Knicks' comeback—it is the collapse of Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in a game they should have won. Maller argues that the box score flatters Wembanyama, and that the Spurs' failure was deeper than one bad night: it was a collective breakdown in belief and execution that reveals a fundamental problem with the team.
The Parisian Pigeon
Victor Wembanyama finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, but Maller dismisses those numbers as misleading. "The Parisian Prodigy shot a putrid 28 and a half percent," he says. "He took 21 shots and missed 15 of them." Maller's word for Wembanyama's performance is "skittish." The Spurs star missed makeable shots—"bunnies," as Maller calls them—that he normally converts. He turned the ball over six times. Maller compares him to the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz and says he "looked like he had seen the ghost of Patrick Ewing." Even a pregame blessing from San Antonio nuns did not help: "He built a literal cathedral out of the mislayups for the nuns."
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:47) **NBA Finals Game 1: Knicks vs. Spurs Recap** - Ben Maller breaks down the Knicks' 105-95 win over the Spurs in San Antonio, focusing on the collapse of the Spurs and the Knicks' comeback.
- 2 (04:55) **Victor Wembanyama's Disappointing Finals Debut** - Maller analyzes Wembanyama's poor performance despite a decent box score (26 points, 12 rebounds).
- 3 (10:30) **Spurs' Supporting Cast Collapse** - Breakdown of the Spurs' collective failure after holding a 14-point lead in the third quarter.
- 4 (13:22) **Overreaction Warning and Series Outlook** - Maller cautions against overreacting to Game 1, arguing the Spurs are still the better team.
- 5 (14:25) **Jalen Brunson's Tale of Two Halves** - Analysis of Brunson's performance: terrible for 30 minutes, then dominant in the final 18.
- 6 (21:01) **Brandon Aiyuk's Arrest Warrant for Speeding** - Discussion of the 49ers WR's misdemeanor warrant for "exhibition of speed" after posting a video of himself driving 111 mph on a 40 mph street.
- 7 (27:00) **Aiyuk's Post-Warrant Social Media Post** - Maller notes that on the day the warrant broke, Aiyuk posted content of himself driving a Mercedes at a race track.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Big Ben talks about Victor Wembanyama playing poorly and the Spurs giving up Game 1 of the NBA Finals to the Knicks, an arrest warrant being issued for WR Brandon Aiyuk for speeding, Maller to the Third Degree, #AskBen, and more!
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