- The Streak Is Over: The New York Knicks dismantled the San Antonio Spurs 114-89, ending the NBA’s longest active winning streak at 11 games.
- Wemby’s Struggle: Victor Wembanyama put up 25 points and 13 rebounds but admitted he was “hesitant” from deep, shooting just 1-for-7 from three.
- Physicality Rules: New York forced 22 turnovers and dominated the glass, out-rebounding San Antonio by 13.
NEW YORK — The New York Knicks didn’t just stop the hottest team in basketball on Sunday night; they bullied them. Behind a relentless defensive effort and 25 points from Mikal Bridges, the Knicks hammered the San Antonio Spurs 114-89 at Madison Square Garden, snapping San Antonio’s 11-game winning streak in brutal fashion.
The Garden Wall: How New York Cracked the Code
San Antonio arrived in Manhattan playing the best basketball of the Wembanyama era, but they hit a physical wall immediately. The Knicks used a 26-2 first-half run to turn a competitive start into a blowout. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson tag-teamed the interior, making every catch difficult for the 7-foot-4 French phenom. While Wembanyama still found his way to 25 points, he coughed up 7 turnovers and looked uncharacteristically indecisive on the perimeter.
The Knicks’ backcourt provided the offensive punch to match the defensive grit. Jalen Brunson orchestrated the floor with 24 points and 7 assists, while Bridges took over in the third quarter, scoring 17 of his 25 points in that frame alone. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Spurs’ high-octane offense had sputtered to its lowest point total of the season.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio Spurs | 21 | 16 | 24 | 28 | 89 |
| New York Knicks | 22 | 32 | 35 | 25 | 114 |
| Knicks snap Spurs’ 11-game winning streak. | |||||
What They Said
“I was surprised, yeah. It feels like they’re a good basketball team… they’re not the nastiest, ugly team, you know? They’re not an ugly team to watch, but they made our game ugly. For some reason, we were somewhat hesitant. I was especially hesitant on threes.”
— Victor Wembanyama, Spurs Center
“We wanted to see where we stood against a team on a heater like that. Our guys embraced the physicality. We didn’t give them air.”
— Tom Thibodeau, Knicks Head Coach
What This Means for the West
Despite the loss, San Antonio remains in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with a 43-17 record. However, this game exposed a potential blueprint for slowing down Wembanyama: high-pressure physicality and forcing him into “hesitant” perimeter play. If the Spurs want to be true title contenders in 2026, they must prove they can win when the game turns into a grind.
The Knicks (39-22) continue to climb the Eastern Conference standings, proving their mid-season trades have solidified them as a defensive juggernaut. They head to Toronto on Tuesday, while the Spurs look to bounce back in Philadelphia.
