With just about a quarter of the NBA regular season left to play, much of the talk surrounding the San Antonio Spurs centers on the playoffs. It'll be new territory for a young team that features very few players who've enjoyed playoff success. In falling to the New York Knicks recently, Victor Wembanyama took notes on an organization that advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals last year.
“I think when we look at them, we can take an example as to how they came back in the game because we were dominating at first, and we had one mistake,” Wemby said before taking the onus upon himself. “I made a mistake on an offensive rebound, and that's when they had their run.”
The 114-89 loss in New York not only broke San Antonio's 11-game winning streak but also served as their most lopsided defeat of the season. Previously, a 21-point setback in mid-January to another title contender – the Oklahoma City Thunder – represented their biggest loss of the year.
“You can see, we can take an example [from] them,” Wembanyama continued. “They just needed one spark to get it going, and then they were at a point where we couldn't stop them.”
Victor Wembanyama details need to improve after loss to Knicks
The Spurs turned the ball over 22 times at Madison Square Garden. Credit the Knicks and their smothering defense for a large chunk of those.
“Of course. You know, we'd get a turnover, especially live ball, they'd get a fast break or an extra possession. If they scored, they'd be ready, they'd already be back on defense, they'd be ready,” Wemby admitted.
During their perfect February, San Antonio scored at least 110 points in every contest. In seven of those games, they tallied at least 120. Wemby and company could muster only 89 in the loss.
“It's hard for us, for any team, to play a half-court defense,” the 2023 first overall draft pick continued. “And, if after that, we did turn the ball over again or took a bad shot, they'd get it, they got it going, they'd get an easy one, and it was a snowball effect.”
Third in the East, the Knicks are widely considered one of two teams that have the best shot of representing the conference in the Finals. While the Detroit Pistons easily sport the best record on that side of the league standings, the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Toronto Raptors round out the top five squads in the conference. Each comes with question marks. Some would say New York does as well. Though in Wembanyama's mind, there's no doubt about the Knicks following a second loss to them this season.
“We should have been better, especially on that run in the first quarter. I think that was it,” Wembanyama noted, alluding to an early 19-7 lead in New York.
“For some reason we were somewhat hesitant…I was especially hesitant on three’s…I was holding the ball too much…
We gave them life. We should have been better, especially in the first quarter. That was the game”⬇️
-Victor Wembanyama following #Spurs blowout loss at the Knicks pic.twitter.com/WzJJCdCGuD— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) March 1, 2026
Combine the NBA Cup Final, and the Spurs have now lost to the Knicks twice this season. Should they meet again, the Spurs hope they will have turned those losses into lessons.
