Spurs' Wembanyama surprised by Knicks' 'ugly' win

San Antonio's star rookie big man had an interesting take on his team's blowout loss to New York.

Mar. 2, 2026 at 8:47pm

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Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs suffered a surprising 114-89 loss to the New York Knicks, ending their 11-game winning streak. Wembanyama, the Spurs' franchise player, was seemingly caught off guard by the Knicks' style of play, describing them as "not the nastiest team" but still managing to "make our game ugly." The Spurs shot poorly and turned the ball over 22 times, while the Knicks were not much more efficient but had 20 more shot attempts. Despite the setback, the Spurs remain in a strong position with a 43-17 record as they head to Philadelphia for the final stop of their road trip.

Why it matters

The loss to the Knicks was a rare stumble for the surging Spurs, who had been on a roll prior to this game. Wembanyama's comments suggest the Spurs may have underestimated the Knicks, who were able to disrupt San Antonio's rhythm and hand them a decisive defeat. This game could provide valuable lessons for the Spurs as they look to maintain their position atop the Western Conference standings.

The details

The Spurs shot just 42% from the field and committed 22 turnovers, allowing the Knicks to attempt 20 more shots despite New York only shooting 44% themselves. Wembanyama finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks, but also had 7 turnovers. The Knicks were led by strong performances from Mikal Bridges (25 points) and Jalen Brunson (24 points).

  • The Spurs' 11-game winning streak was snapped on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

The players

Victor Wembanyama

The star big man of the San Antonio Spurs, who is in his third NBA season.

Mikal Bridges

A key player for the New York Knicks, who scored 25 points in the win over the Spurs.

Jalen Brunson

The Knicks' starting point guard, who contributed 24 points in the victory.

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What they’re saying

“They're a good basketball team, but they're not, like, the nastiest team. They're not an ugly team to watch, but they made our game ugly.”

— Victor Wembanyama

What’s next

The Spurs will look to bounce back on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers in the final stop of their five-game road trip.

The takeaway

This loss serves as a wake-up call for the Spurs, who may have become overconfident during their winning streak. The team will need to learn from this experience and refocus as they continue their pursuit of a top seed in the Western Conference playoffs.