The San Antonio Spurs are with out their two greatest items: reigning Rookie of the Yr Victor Wembanyama, and Corridor of Fame head coach Gregg Popovich.
So the Knicks‘ road matchup against them on Wednesday should have been a layup for a team gearing up for a deep playoff run as the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed — even when Jalen Brunson (proper ankle sprain) is out of the rotation.
A layup it was not.
As a substitute, the Knicks suffered one in all their most embarrassing losses of the season, trailing by as many as 28, then making a livid third-quarter run to chop the deficit to as little as eight earlier than the Spurs (29-39) ran away with a 120-105 victory on the Frost Financial institution Middle on Wednesday.
The Spurs misplaced 10 of their earlier 14 video games earlier than stealing one from New York.
It was a loss the likes of which the Knicks (43-25) haven’t sustained usually this season.
New York owned an 18-0 file towards the bottom-four seeds in both the Japanese or Western Convention earlier than coughing up what ought to have been a gimme victory in San Antonio.
Maybe some street fatigue set in. Wednesday’s matchup in San Antonio marked New York’s sixth on the street of their final seven video games, with Thursday’s second leg of a back-to-back in Charlotte towards the Hornets making in seven on the street in an eight-game stretch.
The Knicks made it to San Antonio Worldwide Airport on time, however the baggage carrying their new-and-improved protection arrived late.
By the point the Knicks locked in on the defensive finish, they have been staring a close to 30-point deficit within the face. Even the highest-powered offenses run out of gas when trying to mount an enormous comeback.
And San Antonio’s reply to New York’s try at a rally? 2021 No. 54 total choose Sandro Mamukelashvili, the previous Seton Corridor standout who was born in New York Metropolis earlier than shifting to Russia, then Italy as a teen to pursue his basketball profession.
Mamukelashvili, a 6-foot-11 stretch 5, picked the Knicks’ drop protection aside for 34 factors in 19 factors off the bench on an ideal seven-of-seven capturing from downtown and 13-of-14 capturing from the sphere.
He averaged below 5 factors per recreation this season coming into his eruption towards the Knicks on Wednesday.
Karl-Anthony Cities scored a team-high 32 factors on 11-of-21 capturing from the sphere to go together with 9 rebounds and two assists, however injured a finger on his left hand within the first half and was visibly in ache even after getting the finger taped.
Mitchell Robinson continued to return to kind after a 10-month layoff because of ankle surgical procedure, logging his first double-double of the season with 13 factors and 11 rebounds on 5-of-6 capturing from the sphere.
However the Knicks received little else from their roster. Cameron Payne scored 11 factors off the bench, however Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby every scored 14 factors on poor capturing splits, and Josh Hart scored simply two factors in 35 minutes of play.
In the meantime, all 5 Spurs starters scored in double figures, led by rookie level guard Stephon Fortress, who logged 22 factors on 8-of-16 capturing from the sphere.
The Spurs stay a well-coached crew, even with Popovich on the mend, recovering from a stroke.
“It’s what he means to the entire league, probably all coaches everywhere. He’s been a great ambassador for the game. He’s had an unbelievable impact on all of us coaches, what he means to the NBA, what he means to certainly this city and all the things that he’s done,” Thibodeau stated of Popovich forward of tipoff. “We’re always thinking about him and we wish him well and we know he’s making steady progress. So whatever it is that he decides to do, we’re behind him 100 percent and we wish him the best.”
They aren’t remotely adequate, nonetheless, to have stolen a win from a Knicks crew hoping to compete for a title.
New York has accomplished the primary leg of its street back-to-back. The Knicks will journey to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Thursday earlier than returning house for a date with the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
Then the Knicks can get comfy: 5 of their subsequent six video games are at house.
