The Spurs led by 29 points and still lost. Let that sit for a second.
San Antonio outscored New York 41-22 in the first quarter Wednesday night, turned the ball over less, won the steals battle 10-6, and generated 24 points off turnovers against the Knicks’ 11. By nearly every hustle metric and possession-based measure, the Spurs were the better team for roughly two and a half quarters. The final score was 107-106 New York, and now everyone is trying to figure out what it means heading into Game 5.
Two players carried New York. Not the Knicks as a team. Two guys.
Jalen Brunson finished with 36 points on 12-of-25 shooting, drew 11 free-throw attempts, and went 9-of-11 from the line. OG Anunoby shot 7-of-9 from three-point range for 33 points and delivered one of the most efficient offensive performances of the series. Combined, they accounted for 69 of New York’s 107 points. The rest of the Knicks scored 38 points. Mikal Bridges had 7. Karl-Anthony Towns had 13 on just five shot attempts. The bench produced 12 total points.
Anunoby shooting 77.8% from three-point range is unlikely to become the norm. It was one of the more extreme single-game shooting performances of the postseason. San Antonio is expected to adjust its defensive coverage in Game 5 and limit the number of clean perimeter looks available to him.
Victor Wembanyama had 24 points, 13 rebounds, and drew 10 fouls. He was 4-of-7 from the free-throw line.
That’s the number that should concern San Antonio more than the loss itself. Wembanyama shot 36% from the field, which was below his usual standard, but he consistently got to the line and created pressure on the Knicks’ defense. Converting a few more of those opportunities could have changed the outcome of a one-point game.
If he draws 10 fouls again in Game 5 and improves his efficiency at the free-throw line, the impact on the final score could be significant.
This part of the story got buried under the comeback narrative. The Spurs’ bench outscored New York’s 28-12. Dylan Harper had 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting in a reserve role. Devin Vassell added 18 points and was highly efficient offensively. That depth advantage remains one of San Antonio’s biggest strengths heading into Game 5.
The Knicks’ second unit generated only 12 points. Landry Shamet went 0-for-3 and finished minus-13. Jordan Clarkson had 2 points in limited minutes. When Brunson and Anunoby aren’t carrying the scoring load, New York’s offense becomes far more dependent on contributions that were difficult to find in Game 4.
New York leads the series 3-1. Game 5 is Saturday in San Antonio, and home-court advantage will once again be a major factor. The Spurs can point to several correctable mistakes from Game 4 despite losing by only one point.
Many observers will focus on New York’s dramatic comeback, but San Antonio spent most of the game controlling the action. The challenge now is turning that control into a complete four-quarter performance.
The number to focus on is overall offensive consistency. New York held San Antonio to 30 points in the second half, including just 14 points in the third quarter and 16 in the fourth. Whether that was primarily the result of defensive adjustments, shot-making variance, or a combination of both will be one of the key storylines entering Game 5.
A more balanced performance from both teams would likely produce a very different game flow than what unfolded in the second half of Game 4.
What to Actually Watch For
Before Game 5, two numbers matter more than the box score.
First, Wembanyama’s foul-drawing rate. If he’s consistently getting to the free-throw line and putting pressure on the Knicks’ frontcourt, San Antonio’s offense becomes much more difficult to defend. If New York can limit those opportunities late in the game, it improves the Knicks’ chances of closing out the series.
Second, San Antonio’s defensive adjustments on Anunoby. His shooting performance changed the game, and the Spurs will almost certainly prioritize limiting those opportunities moving forward.
The underlying numbers from this series suggest San Antonio has been competitive throughout. Game 5 will come down to execution, late-game decision-making, and whether either team can avoid the costly mistakes that have swung momentum throughout the series.