Wembanyama Stumbles Again as Spurs Lose Close Match to Knicks

All attention was directed towards Victor Wembanyama as the San Antonio Spurs faced off against the New York Knicks in Game 2. Following an underwhelming debut in the NBA Finals, expectations loomed large over the young star heading into Friday night’s matchup at the Frost Bank Center. Wembanyama, however, remained unfazed. “It’s almost like I have to play normal, not even good,” he stated after the previous loss. “It’s just, like, doing the right things is enough. … We’re going to be so much better. I’m going to be so much better.”

Despite his confidence, Wembanyama struggled once again, contributing to a critical turnover and missing a pivotal shot as the Knicks secured a narrow 105-104 victory. With the game tied at 104, he contested a shot from Jalen Brunson and grabbed the rebound. However, in an attempt to pass to Stephon Castle—who wasn’t watching—Wembanyama inadvertently sent the ball off Castle’s back, allowing Brunson to regain possession and subsequently draw a foul. Brunson converted one of two free throws, giving the Knicks a slim lead with just 9.5 seconds left.

On the next possession, Wembanyama had a clear opportunity to reclaim the lead but missed a shot from 20 feet away. The Knicks now hold a 2-0 advantage in the series. “A great player got a great shot,” noted Karl-Anthony Towns during the ESPN broadcast. “It just didn’t go in.” Wembanyama had put the Spurs ahead briefly with an impressive layup that resulted in an and-one, but that would be San Antonio’s last score of the game.

In total, Wembanyama registered 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, along with nine rebounds, four blocks, and four turnovers. Notably, 22 of those points were scored in the second half after a notably quiet first half, where he only attempted four shots. This comes after his performance in Game 1, where he managed 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks but struggled with his shooting, hitting only 6 of 21 attempts.

Wembanyama faced significant challenges from Towns, who used his physicality to limit Wembanyama's effectiveness. According to the NBA’s tracking data, Wembanyama shot just 2 of 11 when defended by Towns in Game 1. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson emphasized the need to get Wembanyama more involved near the rim to counteract the Knicks’ defensive pressure.

While Wembanyama showed more aggression at the start of Game 2, he ultimately fell back into hesitation. His initial points came from a dunk set up by Keldon Johnson and a layup at the end of the first quarter, but he couldn’t find the rhythm in the paint. As the game progressed, Wembanyama began to find his footing in the third quarter, scoring 12 points during a critical stretch. However, despite his efforts to rally the Spurs back into contention, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Knicks.