San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie delivered a standout first-half performance in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
Champagnie scored 15 points by halftime, converting five of six three-point attempts, as the Spurs took a 55-48 lead at the Frost Center.
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He tied with teammate Victor Wembanyama at 15 points after three quarters, with the Spurs holding a slim 76-75 advantage.
The forward, a New York native, previously expressed excitement about facing his hometown team in the championship series.
Alex Kennedy, PFSN Deputy NBA Editor, quoted Champagnie calling it "the best feeling ever."
Champagnie's offensive outburst sparked reactions on social media.
Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGd posted, "Oh nah, Julian Champagnie looking like prime Klay Thompson, Knicks might be in trouble."
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He later added, "Julian Champagnie talking s**t to every Knicks player."
Hoops Reference praised the forward's confidence, calling him a "dream role player."
Some influencers compared his shooting impact to that of Klay Thompson, while Jacob Ortiz of Legion Hoops called for more respect for Champagnie's contributions.
Stefan Bondy, Knicks reporter for the New York Post, noted intense trash talk between Champagnie and Jose Alvarado.
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Connor Griffin of Barstool Sports recalled that Champagnie was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023 to make room for Mac McClung in the Slam Dunk Contest.
