Spurs vs. Knicks: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2017 Regular Season
The New York Knicks snapped their four-game losing streak with a 94-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden.
With his 25-point performance, Carmelo Anthony moved ahead of Charles Barkley for 25th on the NBA's all-time scoring list, per NBA.com. He surpassed Barkley on a three-pointer with 8:55 remaining in the third quarter:
Anthony added seven rebounds and two assists to his stat line.
Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose played well, scoring 16 and 18 points apiece, while Willy Hernangomez finished a rebound short of a double-double (12 points, nine boards).
The Spurs collectively had a day to forget offensively. They shot 36.3 percent from the field and made six of their 29 attempts from beyond the arc.
Kawhi Leonard was the game's leading scorer (36 points), but he received little support. LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 points and 10 rebounds on 5-of-16 shooting. Danny Green also struggled, shooting 2-of-13 and scoring six points.
Much of the focus entering Sunday's game was on Charles Oakley's arrest during New York's 119-115 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Knicks owner James Dolan drew criticism when he suggested alcoholism might've played a role in Oakley's behavior prior to his altercation with Madison Square Garden security. In an interview with the New York Post's Marc Berman, Oakley denied the claim.
Former Knick Latrell Sprewell watched Sunday's game from a courtside seat next to Dolan, per ESPN.com's Ian Begley. Bleacher Report's Howard Beck offered his thoughts on Sprewell's attendance:
Sunday represented the halfway point for the Spurs during their eight-game annual rodeo road trip. All of that traveling appeared to have an effect on San Antonio, which looked sluggish from the opening tip.
The Spurs shot 4-of-14 from three-point range as a team in the first half, and excluding Leonard, who was 6-of-12 from the field, San Antonio made 38.2 percent of its shot attempts through the opening two quarters.
The Spurs still owned a 48-42 halftime lead, largely a result of their 12-1 edge on the offensive glass and the Knicks' 14 turnovers. ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton highlighted how New York's rebounding problems were undercutting its performance in other facets:
The Knicks were much sharper to start the third quarter, and that helped them take a 51-48 lead following Anthony's historic three at the 8:55 mark.
New York moved the ball well, highlighted by Courtney Lee's assist to Hernangomez that put the Knicks ahead 53-50:
FanSided's Daily Knicks thought the team was making tactical tweaks to maximize its talent on the floor:
Despite their improvement, the Knicks still couldn't create much breathing room from San Antonio, and Aldridge tied the game 81 with 3:43 left.
New York responded with five quick points. The NBA provided a replay of Anthony's three-pointer, which brought the home crowd to its feet:
Begley applauded Lee's effort in setting up Anthony's shot:
The brief outburst provided the Knicks with the boost they needed to see out the victory. They kept the Spurs at bay over the final 2:46 to preserve the win.
Knicks fans shouldn't place too much importance on one regular-season game, but beating the Spurs is a good result for New York, considering the team's 7-16 record in 2017 and the general drama swirling around Dolan and Oakley.
The Knicks have a short two-game road trip against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers coming up. Taking at least one of those two matchups would further the momentum they created Sunday in their push to climb inside the East's top eight.
The Spurs don't have much time to recover before they hit the hardwood again. They play the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, with games against the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers ahead before they return home.
Postgame Reaction
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said the Knicks were deserving winners, criticizing his team for its poor offensive performance while simultaneously allowing New York to make 50 percent of its attempts, per the San Antonio Express-News' Jabari Young:
"I think the trust came out tonight," Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek said of the team's effort on the defensive end, per Begley.
Lee concurred with the sentiment, according to the team's Twitter account: "You got my back, I got your back. That's the way basketball should be played."
