On Wednesday night, it seemed the New York Knicks were on track to secure their second consecutive win, facing a San Antonio Spurs team that was missing key players Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, who will be out for the rest of the season. However, in a familiar scenario, the Knicks fell victim to a classic trap game, losing 120-105 after trailing for most of the match.
In a surprising turn, the Knicks found themselves down by as much as 28 points, largely due to a remarkable shooting performance by backup center Sandro Mamukelashvili. Despite playing just 19 minutes off the bench, Mamukelashvili scored 34 points, shooting an incredible 13-14 from the field and perfect 7-7 from beyond the arc.
After the loss, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau criticized his team’s defensive effort, pointing out their lack of urgency in guarding Mamukelashvili and the Spurs, who finished 16-35 from three-point range.
“Defensively, we were a step behind. We got in a big hole. Tough to get out of,” Thibodeau said, per Philip Martinez of SNY. “Sometimes a guy can get hot. We got to make sure that he puts it down. Sandro had a great game, but we really didn’t take anything away. When our ball pressure got better in the third quarter, then our defense picked up. That’s how we have to play. As I said, we were a step behind all night.”
This defensive performance is one the Knicks can’t afford, especially with Jalen Brunson still recovering from an ankle injury. The team will look to bounce back when they face the Charlotte Hornets the following night.
Before Wednesday, Mamukelashvili had only scored over 20 points in a game four times in his career. His breakout performance against the Knicks came as a complete surprise, especially considering the limited minutes he played off the bench. After the game, Mamukelashvili’s incredible display earned him more respect from the Knicks.
“He’s in the NBA for a reason. He’s a good player and we weren’t focused enough or locked in enough to realize what was going on. The IQ wasn’t there,” admitted Josh Hart.