NEW YORK — Victor Wembanyama will enter Game 4 at Madison Square Garden with his postseason flagrant-point total unchanged, leaving the Knicks to answer the NBA’s ruling on the floor, the only place left.

The league will not assess additional punishment to the San Antonio Spurs star for his first-quarter shove of Jalen Brunson during Game 3 of the NBA Finals, keeping Wembanyama at two flagrant points and available for Wednesday night’s matchup with the Knicks leading the series, 2-1.

The sequence occurred during live action in the Knicks’ 115-111 loss Monday night. A closer look at the replay shows Brunson appearing to have a hidden fistful of Wembanyama’s jersey while trying to pin him in place. Wembanyama reacted by swatting Brunson away, placing his hand near the back of Brunson’s neck and pushing him to the floor. Spurs guard Stephon Castle also caught contact in the face as Brunson hit the deck.

Officials didn’t call a foul on the play. After reviewing the sequence, the league chose not to upgrade it to a flagrant foul.

The ruling keeps Wembanyama at two flagrant foul points this postseason. Had the league upgraded the play to a Flagrant Foul Penalty 1, Wembanyama would’ve moved to three flagrant points, one shy of an automatic suspension. Had the league deemed the play a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2, Wembanyama would’ve moved to four flagrant points and triggered a one-game suspension for Game 4. Under NBA playoff rules, a player who surpasses three flagrant foul points must sit out the following game after picking up the fourth point.

Wembanyama picked up a Flagrant 2 foul in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals for his hard foul on Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid.

A Flagrant Foul Penalty 1 is defined as “unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent.” The league’s review process weighs the severity of the contact, whether the player was making a legitimate play on the ball, the nature of the follow-through and the potential for injury.

NBA Senior VP, Head of Development and Training Referee Operations Monty McCutchen acknowledged during an interview on ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Tuesday that Wembanyama committed a foul but explained why the league’s review process doesn’t operate the same way as calling the play again from scratch.

McCutchen said every game is reviewed in full after it ends, but added officials receive “a real deference” because they’re “feeling the moments” and working within the pace of the game.

“If there’s a clear miss, then there’s a possibility for an upgrade,” McCutchen said. “But it is a clear and conclusive standard. It’s not the same as re-refereeing it.”

That distinction is key to the ruling. A missed foul didn’t become a missed flagrant in the league’s view. And with that decided, Wembanyama stays at two flagrant points, the Spurs keep their brightest star on the court, and the Knicks get no disciplinary relief after losing home-court momentum in Game 3.

It also preserves the series’ physical tone heading into Game 4.

Later in Game 3, Brunson was called for a Flagrant Foul Penalty 1 for impeding the landing space of Julian Champagnie, a St. John’s product, while Champagnie attempted a 3-pointer. Wembanyama appeared to step into Josh Hart’s landing space earlier in the game, but officials didn’t call a foul on that sequence.

Wembanyama’s exchange with Brunson also followed another uncalled play earlier in the Finals. In Game 2, Wembanyama wrapped his arms around Jose Alvarado and moved him out of the way while boxing out for a rebound.

Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox spoke broadly about Wembanyama’s response to how the Knicks have defended him and rejected the idea that the 22-year-old is embracing the physical challenge of this series.

“If you get hit, you hit back. That’s life,” Fox said. “If life hits you, you need to figure out a way to get on your feet and hit it back. Every time he rolls, he gets tagged, he gets hit. If he’s trying to go set a screen, box out, whatever it may be, he’s getting grabbed, he’s getting held. It would be crazy for him to think he’s going to get open by not hitting somebody.

“But that’s basketball. It’s going to be physical. No one expects anyone to come out here and not have bumps and bruises or injuries or all these things. I don’t think it’s trying to be a villain.”

Knicks head coach Mike Brown said his team allowed the Spurs to “hit first” at the beginning of Game 3 and again to start the second half. San Antonio turned those openings into its first win of the series, with Wembanyama finishing with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks.

The crew for Game 4 is also set. Zach Zarba will serve as crew chief, with James Williams and Courtney Kirkland also assigned to the game.

The NBA didn’t add to Wembanyama’s flagrant-point total or push him closer to a future suspension. It didn’t take San Antonio’s best player off the floor. Instead, it left the dispute where the series already sits, with the Knicks trying to reclaim the first punch, Wembanyama waiting for the next hit and the officials left to manage everything in between.

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