Mikal Bridges outdueled Victor Wembanyama in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points in the period to lead the host New York Knicks to a 117-114 comeback win over Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, December 25 (Thursday, December 26, Manila time).
Bridges and Wembanyama combined to score 26 points in a fast-paced fourth quarter in which the teams combined for 60 points while shooting a collective 57.5% (23-of-40).
Bridges finished with a season-high 41 points — the second-most by a Knicks player on Christmas Day behind Bernard King’s 60-point effort in 1984. It was the seventh 40-point game of Bridges’ career and his first since he had 42 points for the Brooklyn Nets last January.
Wembanyama had 42 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks in his Christmas Day debut.
Miles McBride hit the tie-breaking three-pointer with 2:43 left to give the Knicks the lead for good as the hosts won their season-high fifth in a row and improved to 15-4 since November 15.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 points with 9 rebounds for New York and just missed his 19th straight double-double, while Josh Hart had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Jalen Brunson finished with 20 points.
Jeremy Sochan had 21 points and 9 rebounds for the Spurs, who fell to 5-6 this month. Chris Paul scored 13 points, while Devin Vassell added 11 points.
A chaotic and entertaining final 14 minutes began with the Knicks scoring the last 10 points of the third quarter to take an 88-83 lead. The Spurs then scored the first 9 points of the fourth before Wembanyama outscored Bridges 7-6 during a span of 1:22, after which Tre Jones converted a three-point play to extend the Spurs’ lead to 102-94.
Bridges, Hart, and OG Anunoby answered with 3 straight three-pointers before the teams traded the lead on five consecutive trips. Hart’s tip-in of a Bridges miss put the Knicks up 109-106, after which Sochan tied the game for the final time with a three-pointer with 3:04 left.
McBride answered with his tie-breaking basket to begin an 8-2 run for the Knicks. Paul sank a 25-footer with 42 seconds left, but Hart collected two offensive rebounds on the final possession as New York ran out the clock. – Rappler.com
