Knicks CRUSH Spurs with DEFENSE & Team Play. NY 114 San Antonio 89

March 2, 2026 LouV 2025-26 0
Mikal Bridges had a great game -- with 25 pts on 10-17 shooting (5-9 from 3) and tremendous defense -- picking up 5 steals. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.

The Knicks spotted the Spurs a 19-7 early lead, then laid down DEFENSE, HUSTLE, and team play and dominated them the rest of the afternoon — going on a 26-2 run at end of the 1st quarter into the 2nd quarter, and a 30-14 run to end the game for a convincing 114-89 win on a Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. A nationally televised game.

The Knick ended the Spurs 11-game winning streak.

Jalen Brunson led the charge on the 26-2 run — getting red hot after Stephen Castle was subbed out. Brunson missed his first 3 shots of the game and had a turnover with Castle guarding him, but as soon as Castle went out Brunson went into high gear and the Knicks intensified their defense and turned the game around. Brunson finished with 24 pts on 7-16 shooting (4-7 from 3).

Mikal Bridges had maybe his best game as a Knick. He was a SNIPER all afternoon, splashing corner 3’s or slashing to the lane for mid-range jumpers and drives, and playing a phenomenal defense. Bridges led NY with 25 pts on 10-17 shooting (5-9 from 3) with 5 steals and a +21.

Josh Hart also was Tremendous on Defense all afternoon, and had 10 pts and 10 rebounds.

Karl-Anthony Towns ripped down key rebounds all game — finishing with 13 board and 10 pts. OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson both played great defense on Victor Wembanyama. OG was a +16 and Mitch a +10 in 15 minutes.

Wemby had 25 pts on 8-17 shooting but only 1-7 from 3 and a -15.

Landry Shamet (7 pts, 2 steals, +19) and Jose Alvarado (5 assists, a steal, and a +20) were also key to the Knicks’ stifling DEFENSE and shot making.

The Knicks suffocated Julian Champagnie to only 3 pts on 1-4 shooting (1-3 from 3) in 24 minutes. Champagnie had torched NY for 11-17 shooting from 3 in the last meeting between the teams on New Year’s Eve, when San Antonio came back from a 19-pt deficit in the 1st half to win in the final seconds. NY beat San Antonio in December for the in-season championship.

“Good win by our guys,” said coach Mike Brown afterwards. “It’s a really good team. They obviously missed some shots, but I thought our weak-side defense was really good. For them to shoot 26, 27 percent from the 3, our activity on the weak side was really good. We had 5 guys on a string, and so when we went to go help on dribble-drives, our weak-side was active the right way.”

“And speaking of the dribble-drives,” continued Brown. “Our guys did a pretty good job of keeping the ball out of the middle on their drives. Our on-ball defense was pretty good, with a level of physicality, and keeping it on the sidelines. That was pretty good. They had 38 pts in the paint; they’ve been really, really good in the paint; our guys did a good job trying to cover that and getting out to the 3-pt line.”

NY improves to 39-22, in 3rd in the East, 7 back of Detroit and a game back of Boston. San Antonio falls to 43-17, in 2nd in the West, 2.5 behind Oklahoma.

1. Spurs Jump Out to 19-7 Lead

The Knicks came out looking like they weren’t ready — again. San Antonio hit their shots and the Knicks had nothing, and the Spurs ran out to a 19-7 lead.

Victor Wembanyama was getting buckets, Devin Vassell was knocking down jumpers or scoring on drives from the corner, Julian Champagnie knocked down a 3, and Stephen Castle was playing a tough, physical defense on Jalen Brunson causing him to miss all 3 shots he took and turn the ball over with an offensive foul. Castle also hit a 3 and the Spurs were up 19-7.

It was looking like it was going to be a long night.

But Brunson’s offensive foul caused a break in the action as both teams brought in their 2nd team — the Spurs subbing Stephon Castle with De’Aaron Fox.

And just like that everything changed.

  • Mitchell Robinson blocked a shot, Mikal Bridges hit a pullup, and next time down Brunson hit a 3 and NY was within 19-14.
  • Next time down Brunson was fouled taking a 3 — and it was called a flagrant after a review as Dylan Harper‘s foot was said to come under Brunson’s.
  • Brunson hit 2 of 3 free throws, and the Knicks got the ball again due to the flagrant — and Brunson hit a drive-and-1 — a 5-pt possession and 21-19 game.

Turning point.

Next time down Brunson hit a pullup with 33 seconds left for a Knick lead, 22-21 after 1 quarter.

2. Knicks Go on 26-2 Run, Take 16-Pt Lead in 2nd

NY’s kept pouring it on in the 2nd quarter; they were in the middle of what would be a 26-2 run.

Mohammed Diawara hit a 3 to start the quarter and NY was up 25-21.

The Knick D forced San Antonio to take rushed 3’s. NY was stealing the ball. When NY missed, they grabbed the offensive rebound. The Knicks were everywhere.

KAT scored inside; Bridges stole the ball and scored on a breakaway drive; Alvarado scored on a pullup; Alvarado grabbed a rebound and fed Bridges ahead of the field for a dunk. NY was up 33-21.

San Antonio finally got their footing and held within 10 pts of NY — and started to go back to Wemby — who had 7 straight points for them midway thru the quarter — a dunk over OG, a deuce, and a 3.

But the Knicks answered every Wemby bucket — OG hitting a 3, then a dunk off a Josh Hart assist, and then Brunson with a 3 and a deuce and NY increased its lead to 15 at 51-36.

But San Antonio had some luck on their shoulders and closed out the final minute well — Castle hitting 2 free throws, and then Harrison Barnes hitting a well-defended 3 from the corner with a second left to pull the Spurs within 51-41 at the half.

3. Knicks Push 10-Pt Halftime Lead Back to 16-Pt Lead in 3rd

NY came out strong in the 3rd — with Josh Hart playing insane defense and Mikal Bridges snipping 3’s from the corner, and playing a great D himself.

Bridges stuck three 3’s early in the quarter and NY went back up by 15 at 69-54.

Mitchell Robinson came in to take his turn guarding Wemby, and did a great job causing Wemby to miss well-defended 3’s.

Mohamed Diawara came in and gave NY a lift on the 2nd team as well, playing good D and sticking a 3.

Wemby scored consecutive buckets inside — a layup and a dunk — late in the period to pull San Antonio back within 10. NY lead 80-69 after 3.

4. Knicks Finish on 34-10 Run

Diawara continued to be a lift early in the 4th — hitting a 3 — but San Antonio continued to hang in on buckets by Castle and Vassell to make it 84-75 Knicks with 10:42 left.

But NY intensified the D and the hustle and went on a 34-10 run to end the game.

  • Josh Hart and Landry Shamet were everywhere with D and hustle plays. Bridges was stealing the ball and scoring on drives and 3’s.
  • Diawara hit a jumper, OG stuck a 3, and Hart hit a 3 off a Shamet assist and NY was up 92-76 with 7:44 left.
  • Bridges stole the ball from Harper and scored on a dunk and it was 94-76 NY.

KAT was grabbing every big rebound, and taking it to the rim when the opportunity presented.

Mikal Bridges picked up ANOTHER steal of a Fox pass and fed Shamet for a DUNK ahead and NY was up 101-82 with 4:29 left.

Shamet then hit a 3 next time down and NY led 104-82 and ballgame.

“Landry Shamet won’t get headlines but he’s been big and it had nothing to do with his shooting,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines. “Watch how he defends with a purpose, understands how to use screens on one end but did a good job hedging over screens on other end, making the right pass and took no play for granted.”

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401810723

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