Knicks steal spotlight from Victor Wembanyama, Spurs with wire-to-wire victory
Mitchell Robinson #23 of the Knicks blocks a shot attempts in the second half against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 . Credit: Jim McIsaac
As he was introduced for the first time at Madison Square Garden Victor Wembanyama received a loud ovation from the crowd, maybe some Spurs fans and more curiosity seekers looking for the first time at the hard-to-compare Spurs rookie.
But the Knicks provided a much harsher welcome to New York. If this is the place where stars hope to prove their place in NBA history on the biggest stage for a player, Wembanyama’s debut was the sort of Broadway flop that draws critics’ slings and arrows and maybe a few rotten tomatoes from the fans who paid to see the show. And by the time this game was winding down the sound from the crowd had turned to chants of “Overrated.”
Wembanyama has rarely seemed rattled with the attention and hype since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Spurs this summer, and he didn’t seem as if the moment was too big for him. But with the Knicks boasting one of the NBA’s best defenses and a bit of a chip on their shoulder being less than the main attraction in their home arena, they pushed, shoved, harassed and frustrated Wembanyama to a miserable night and came away with a 126-105 win.
Long after the game was decided Wembanyama finally put together a few highlights, but the 14 points and nine rebounds seemed deceptive as he was 4-for-14 shooting after missing his first seven attempts. While Wembanyama struggled to find his way the Knicks seemed to be clicking up and down the roster.
Wembanyama missed a three-point attempt the first time he touched the ball and then tried to face up 7-1 Mitchell Robinson, but created no space and tossed up an air ball from 10 feet. He missed another three and the Knicks raced out to an 8-0 lead, prompting a quick San Antonio timeout.
The Knicks upped the lead to 13-0. By halftime, Wembanyama was 0-for-5 from the field, 0-for-3 from beyond the arc and had just two points on a pair of free throws in 15 minutes.
Wembanyama didn’t convert a field goal until 3:18 remained in the third quarter when he hit a right-side jumper over Isaiah Hartenstein after missing his first seven attempts. But his night didn’t get better. In the final minute of the quarter he tried to isolate Hartenstein again, but this time Immanuel Quickley reached in and yanked the ball loose from him, leading to a fast-break dunk for Hartenstein. The Knicks stretched the lead to as much as 30 points in the third quarter.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 25 points, Julius Randle had 23 points and 16 rebounds and RJ Barrett added 24 points, but it was the defense in shutting down the 7-4 phenom and the young Spurs that dominated this game.
Robinson took most of the responsibility for this assignment with Hartenstein also taking turns and from winning the opening tip they seemed determined to show that they were not willing to play a backup role. “He’s a great player, one of the best in the league right now,” Robinson said of Wembanyama. “Especially he’s 7-6, can put it on the floor, shoot it. So, it’s a challenge, but you need to do what you got to do.”
The Garden has long been the favorite spot for the NBA’s biggest stars, eager to make their mark in the spotlight of New York City. James Harden was the latest under the microscope when he made his debut with the Los Angeles Clippers Monday night. But it has been a destination for stars for decades and often, to the Knicks; detriment, those stars look to shine their brightest on this stage.
“It’s the best place to play in the world,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I actually mentioned it when we came to shootaround. I walked by five guys over here, and four or five over here, and said, ‘You guys are in the best arena to play basketball you’ll ever be in.’ Some of the guys agreed, other guys, said, oh, what about such-and-such. Had to look at the rafters, and of course some of the young guys they don’t know some of those names, for sure. But it’s a special place.”
Asked what makes it special, Popovich said, “Cause it is. Some things, words don’t describe it. You just walk in there, the lights go on, and it’s a different ball game. You get a little bit of electricity going through your back.”
Well aware of that, the Knicks did their best to prove that they were the main attraction.
“I mean, our biggest game is always the next game, the one we have to focus on,” Brunson said of the hype and holding homecourt. “We can’t look past any opponent, can’t look forward to any other game. We have to focus on what we’ve got to do that night. Obviously, this place is amazing, the history and all that stuff. For us, we just focus on what we can control, sticking together and trying to be the best team we can be.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
