The Knicks scored a season-high 45 factors within the first quarter and led by as many as 19 factors on Wednesday night time, however let all of it slip away, finally falling to the San Antonio Spurs, 134-132.
New York allowed 41 fourth-quarter factors within the loss, together with 12 to Julian Champagnie on an ideal 4-of-4 capturing from three-point land. The previous St. John’s star made a Spurs-record 11 threes in whole, ending with a sport excessive 36 factors.
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After the sport, head coach Mike Brown did not beat across the bush with what went improper for the Knicks.
“Nice win by San Antonio, they only outworked us in loads of other ways,” Brown stated. “Mitch (Johnson) kicked my a–, the remainder of the crew kicked our a–, all of us received our a– kicked right this moment so you bought to offer San Antonio a ton of credit score.
“Julian Champagnie, he was incredible, he shot the mess out of the ball and he made the photographs. I used to be just a little disillusioned in our guys as a result of it was virtually like we did not respect him. We did not decide him up in transition… We all know he is a sizzling participant and that is what he does, however he simply saved getting take care of take care of take care of take care of look that had been vast open. You give him loads of credit score as a result of he knocked the photographs down, however I used to be actually, actually disillusioned in the way in which we defended him.”
Along with Champagnie’s scoring being a difference-maker, the Spurs went 32-of-40 from the foul line in comparison with 18-of-20 capturing from the charity stripe for the Knicks. Brown acknowledged that a few of San Antonio’s foul photographs got here towards the tip of the sport, however nonetheless pointed to the big “free throw disparity” within the sport.
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“40 free throw makes an attempt, I do know we fouled late within the sport… They virtually doubled us in free throw makes an attempt the entire sport,” Brown stated. “I do not know, perhaps we weren’t aggressive sufficient, I am unsure. It might be attention-grabbing to return to have a look at the movie to see why we could not get to the free throw line however why they had been attending to the free throw line.
“That is an enormous drawback should you’re speaking about 20 to 40 from the free throw line. And once more you must think about that a few of these fouls on the finish of the sport we had been fouling to get a chance to cease the clock and attempt to go rating. It is going to be powerful if the free throw disparity is that huge.”
Along with the fouling issues, Brown went on to debate the crew’s protection as a complete. He stated they should do a greater job about not reaching, as a substitute “main with the chest, not with our arms.”
“We as a crew received to determine how we will be bodily however defend with out fouling,” Brown stated.
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He emphasised New York’s physicality wants to enhance, believing the group hasn’t proven that capability via a full sport this season. Brown added that there must be a “sense of urgency” defensively with a view to win video games like Wednesday night time’s.
“A crew scores 134 factors (in opposition to you), to begin with it is our physicality,” Brown stated. “We have not found out the best way to be bodily for 48 minutes within the final I do not know what number of video games. However doing it with out fouling. We decide up some foolish fouls that we have now to do a greater job of. I really feel everyone understands that, however now we simply should go do it. Our physicality isn’t good.
“I do not know if we’re drained or what, however we have now not been capable of maintain something defensively for 48 minutes. We have received loads of video games, and also you need to win video games, and also you be ok with it. However on the finish of the day, if we do not work out the best way to maintain what we’re imagined to do on the defensive finish of the ground for 48 minutes it’ll be an extended yr for us and it’ll finally catch as much as us. Our physicality, our lack of ability to maintain what we’re imagined to do on that finish of the ground, and for some time it was our transition protection… these areas are actually huge for us.”
Like Brown talked about, New York will want present an improved, bodily model of protection in the event that they need to obtain their long-term targets. Their first attempt at turning it round in 2026 comes straight away as they will face the Atlanta Hawks again residence at The Backyard on Thursday night time.
