Mikal Bridges leads Knicks to thrilling Christmas Day victory over Spurs, 117-114

The Madison Square Garden crowd got a Christmas Day classic, as Mikal Bridges delivered a season-high 41-point masterpiece to propel the New York Knicks to a gritty 117-114 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Bridges’ heroics spoiled a monstrous night from Spurs sophomore Victor Wembanyama, who racked up 42 points and 18 rebounds in a battle that saw 20 lead changes and 12 ties.

Bridges was electric, shooting 17-of-25 from the field and 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. His defining moment came in the fourth quarter, where he poured in 15 points, including a pair of clutch jumpers in the final minutes. With the Knicks trailing 102-94 midway through the period, Bridges spearheaded a game-changing 15-4 run to seize a 109-106 lead.

The game remained razor-tight until the final two minutes. Bridges hit two straight jump shots, and a free throw from Josh Hart stretched the Knicks’ lead to 117-111. With the Garden rocking, Bridges attempted a dagger three-pointer with 50 seconds left but fell short, narrowly missing the chance to outscore Wembanyama.

Chris Paul kept the Spurs alive, nailing a three-pointer with 41.1 seconds left to cut the Knicks’ lead to three. But it was Josh Hart who sealed the win, grabbing a crucial offensive rebound with 17 seconds remaining after Jalen Brunson missed a pull-up jumper.

Bridges was the clear star of the night, but the Knicks also leaned on contributions from Karl-Anthony Towns and Brunson. Towns finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds, though foul trouble limited his second-half minutes. Brunson added 20 points and 9 assists, but he struggled with efficiency, going just 7-for-23 from the field.

Miles McBride gave the Knicks a lift off the bench, scoring 8 points, including two timely three-pointers during pivotal moments.

On the other side, Wembanyama was a force of nature. The Knicks had no answer for his rim protection, and his six three-pointers were a thorn in their side. Yet, his 10 missed three-point attempts gave the Knicks opportunities to claw back into the game. In the fourth quarter, the Knicks tightened their defense, holding Wembanyama to 3-of-9 shooting, just enough to deny him the Grinch-like satisfaction of stealing Christmas at MSG.

Jeremy Sochan chipped in 21 points and 9 assists for the Spurs, while Paul contributed 13 points and 7 assists. But the Spurs couldn’t overcome the Knicks’ relentless energy on the glass and careful ball control. New York dominated the offensive boards, grabbing 17 compared to just 8 for San Antonio, and committed only 5 turnovers while forcing 10 from the Spurs. Those extra possessions translated into a 21-7 advantage in points off turnovers, which proved critical.

With this win, the Knicks improved to 20-10 on the season, extending their longest winning streak to five games.

Up-next: The Knicks (20-10) are taking on the Magic (19-12) on Friday night in Orlando from 7:00 pm.