Game thread: New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs 12/7/2021 8:30pm [Game #24]

The San Antonio Spurs head home after their most successful road trip of the season to square off against the struggling New York Knicks on Tuesday.

The game is the second of a road-home back-to-back set for the Spurs, who head to Texas after a 108-104 loss in Phoenix on Monday that snapped a season-best, four-game winning streak.

The defeat came after road wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors gave San Antonio some needed momentum for the upcoming stretch of five games, all at home, in eight days.

San Antonio trailed by 16 points in the third quarter but mounted a comeback led by its reserves over the first half of the final period and eventually tied the game at 88. However, the Spurs could never regain the lead as Phoenix made the plays down the stretch.

"I'm proud of our guys," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said after the loss. "The second group helped us get back in it. We learned some stuff, we got better tonight. I'm really proud of their effort."

Dejounte Murray led San Antonio with 17 points and 14 assists. He recorded his seventh consecutive double-double, the longest such streak for the Spurs since Tim Duncan had a seven-game run in January 2009 and longest such streak for a guard in team history.

Bryn Forbes scored 15 points, Doug McDermott and Jakob Poeltl contributed 14 apiece, Keldon Johnson put up 13 points and Derrick White had 12 for San Antonio.

The Spurs fell by five points or fewer for the sixth time this season. Only the Indiana Pacers, with eight such setbacks, have dropped more close games.

The Knicks travel to San Antonio on the heels of a 113-99 home loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. New York has dropped three straight and four of its past five games to fall under .500 for the first time this season.

Julius Randle led the Knicks with 24 points and eight assists against the Nuggets. Evan Fournier added 15 points, RJ Barrett hit for 13 and Alec Burks and Derrick Rose scored 11 apiece for New York.

Part of the problem for the Knicks has been a lack of attention on defense. After finishing fourth in defensive rating last season, New York is 22nd this season.

"How we were last year, how we have to be this year as well, we have to win games with our defense," Randle said. "Offensively, we have to understand that some nights it's going to be going, some nights it's not. But how we're going to win is defense and then rebounding."

The Knicks never led against Denver but cut their deficit to six points in the third quarter before the Nuggets regained their stride. Denver's lead grew to 30 points in the final period.

"We've got to ... really take a long look in the mirror and see how we're going to change it," Randle said. "We know we can do it. We've done it. We're in a funk right now. It's hard, it's tough, it's not fun. But we have the ability and the power to change it."

Game preview courtesy of:
--Field Level Media

(STATS / cbssports.com)

Thanks for the Game-Thread Rady .. of the hot Pop Spurs vs the Knicks. The Spurs poor start has been making a statement in their past 5 games (4-1). The final 5 min of the Spurs vs Suns game were pure excitement, and outstanding ball movement by both teams having 4 to 5 touches to score on every offensive possession going down the stretch, but the Spurs could only cut the Suns lead down to 3 pts in the final 3 minutes for a hard luck loss.

Well, the Knicks coaches & players are going through some silly changes that has effect the morality of teams offense & defense performance as a group in the last 3 game losses.
So far, without Kemba Walker the Knicks are 1-3 .. And the Knicks next 5 games are gonna be rough having 3 games on the road.
What's the quick remedy to fix such a Knicks problem before facing a hot Spurs team in their home town ???

Tied at 28 at end of First ....
Quickley's missed shot was a pass to Obi for 2 pts .. really creative lol

About Time! About Time! D.Rose & Quickley has Obi & MitchRob in the lineup !!!

MitchRob wanted to be taken out along with OBI LMAO

Barrett Barrett .. 2 for 7 going iso in first half

OK .. Barrett for 3

Half-Time .. Knicks 62 - Spurs 56
Coach Pop always have a different plan on offense or defense in the 2nd half ..
The D.Rose 2nd unit lineup looks good having MitchRob .. Mitch were given 5 shot attempt in the first half to score 7 pts, grab 11 boards, and get 2 blocks ..... That should give us a clue on the Knicks situation !!!

It?s the RJ show tonight? 24-3-2-1 like with 9 to go in third Q. 70-64 NYK.

Will the Knicks survive the third?

The starters offensive scoring are making up for their defense to give the Knicks a 10 pt lead having 3 min remaining in the 3rd qtr.

Knicks take a 14 point lead into the 4th. No excuses. Need to close this one out and get back to 0.500.

95 - 81 Knicks at End of 3rd Qtr.
MitchRob has a double-double (13 - 11) in 16 min of playing-time

It's obvious .. Barrett does not belong on the 2nd unit lineup !!!

First win in SA since 2014.

RJ sinks his 6th 3? a career best?

NY up 14. Nail in coffin! 29 points.

Make that 7 threes and 32 points for RJ.

Nice win. Knicks took control in the 3rd and maintained the effort on both ends for a double digit win.

SA lost a close game in PHO last night, and played GSW to the wire on SAT?. and we resting 2 days, coming off a bad loss?

Might have been a schedule win for us, and loss for them, but NYK did go out and drain their 3s and earn it?.

Can they beat Indy tomorrow and make this count?

Tonight, the Knicks out-scored and out rebounded the Spurs for a nice 121 - 109 Knicks WIN!
Tonight, the Knicks did well by only committing 10 turnovers.
Are the Knicks Gonna make a (3-0) statement on their 3 game road trip ???

Glad to see RJ broke out of his slump. Very important that he plays like last year if the Knicks want to get back on track. Also see Thibs promoted Noel to the starting unit, suggested this in a thread, let's see if Noel can remain healthy.

I have to admit .. tonight were RJ Barrett's best game of the year so far, maybe his career