Knicks squander double-digit lead and lack physicality in stunning 134-132 loss to Spurs
The Knicks ended their 2025 schedule on a sour note, squandering several double-digit leads in a frustrating 134-132 loss to the Spurs on Wednesday night at Frost Bank Center.
Here are the takeaways…
— Making his third career start, rookie forward Mohamed Diawara did his best to set the tone, draining a pair of threes in the first three minutes of action to help the Knicks take a 10-3 lead. But it didn’t take long for the Spurs to find their rhythm, as a quick 11-0 run midway through the first quarter erased their early deficit and caused the Knicks to burn two timeouts. Much to the delight of the head coach Mike Brownthe Knicks maintained a strong shot from beyond the arc, making nine threes that helped lead to a season-high 45 points in the first quarter. It was their 14th opening period with 40-plus points this season — the scoring actually matched last season’s total.
Announcement
— Just when it looked like the Knicks’ torrid pace was unsustainable — their 12-point lead was cut to four with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter, due to some turnovers — came another heat check. In a three-minute span, they rattled off 14 unanswered points, extending their lead to a commanding 71-52 with 3:51 left. However, the inevitable cold snap eventually arrived, as the Knicks failed to score a single point in the final 2:54 before halftime. The Spurs took advantage of that break with a 9-0 run, cutting their deficit to 73-63 at the break.
— Jalen Brunson he was of course the catalyst of the first half, providing 13 points as one of eight – that’s right, eight – Knicks to hit a 3-pointer. But his baker’s dozen, plus 15 from City of Karl-Anthonyhe didn’t have the strength of the Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama ostentatious. The young juggernaut led all scorers in the first half with 22 points – he was solely responsible for the final 9-0 run – and the Knicks didn’t feel that presence during the NBA Cup Final, as the Spurs carefully limited his time on the court to 25 minutes.
— Eight quick points on two threes Miles McBride pushed the Knicks’ lead back to 14 with 8:43 left in the third, but once again their lead wasn’t comfortable for long. Wembanyama e Giuliano Champagne sparked a monstrous Spurs rally by scoring 19 combined points in more than four minutes and, suddenly, the game was tied at 91-91 with 4:24 left in the quarter. Keldon Johnson then he hit a floater that gave the Spurs their first lead since 6:13 of the first and re-energized the crowd. Despite the momentum, the Knicks rallied on both ends of the floor, producing 11 unanswered points and holding the Spurs scoreless in the final 3:23 to reclaim a nine-point lead, 102-93. No surprise, it was Brunson who added eight points to that spirited run.
— The Knicks’ battles with Wembanyama, who scored 31 points in three quarters, ended abruptly in the first 90 seconds of the quarter. After grabbing the rebound on a missed 3-pointer by the Knicks, Wembanyama landed awkwardly in the crease and cameras caught the buckle in his right knee. Wembanyama remained on the ground for a few moments before limping straight to the locker room without assistance from the trainers. Although he appeared to say “I’ll be back” to worried Spurs fans, the 7-foot-4 menace never returned.
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— Somehow, Wembanyama’s sudden absence hasn’t crushed Spurs’ spirits. A pair of threes by Champagnie cut the deficit to five, 110-105, with 7:29 remaining and prompted a Knicks timeout. While the Knicks battled back, increasing their lead to 116-109 with clutch jumps Jordan Clarkson off the bench, the Spurs rallied behind Champagnie, who added two more 3-pointers to knot the score at 116-116 and set a new franchise record with 11 shots made from beyond the arc. Call it a career night for Champagnie: He scored a game-changing 36 points. A few moments later, De’Aaron Fox he made a layup that gave the Spurs another lead, 118-116.
— As the Knicks entered the final minute trailing by just a point, poor defense, fouls and missed shots forced the Spurs to the free throw line and put them in a six-point hole with just 10 seconds left. Miraculously, McBride fouled a three-point attempt and made every shot toward the charity stripe, cutting the Knicks’ deficit to three. But a subsequent jump ball claimed by the Spurs resulted in another two points for the Spurs, and even a three-pointer from Brunson was all for naught. Considering the opponent and the build-up to the NBA Cup rematch, this was no ordinary collapse for the Knicks. They entered the night 19-0 when they led even after three quarters.
— The Knicks found a new way to lose, as a staggering 22 3-pointers on 52 attempts somehow wasn’t enough. Defensive collapses were also evident in the fourth quarter, when they gave up 41 points in the period and struggled to match Champagnie and others. Overall, the Knicks were outscored, 48-40, and charged with 13 more fouls than the Spurs (30-17).
— The contributions of McBride and Clarkson, who scored 41 points off the bench on 15-of-29 shooting, proved essential. Why? OG Anunoby was held to just nine points and Diawara failed to score once after his pair of threes in the first quarter. Brunson scored a team-best 29 points with eight assists and four rebounds in 36 minutes, while Towns had 20 points in 33 minutes. Mikal Bridges He was quiet too, limited to 13 points in 35 minutes.
Announcement
Game MVP: Julian Champagnie
Champagne deserves a round of champagne this New Year’s Eve. The St. John’s product’s 36 points on a game-high 11 threes simply crushed the Knicks.
Highlights
Next
The Knicks (23-10) will begin the 2026 calendar year at home, with a Friday night matchup against the Atlanta Hawks (preview at 7:30 p.m.).