The San Antonio Spurs were not blown out in Game 1 by the New York Knicks, despite the 105-95 scoreline. In fact, there were stretches where it looked like they were the better team. They won the rebounding battle 54-49, grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, got 26 points and 12 rebounds from Victor Wembanyama, and led for most of the game.
Yet they still walked away with a 105-95 loss because they failed in several key areas that ultimately decided the outcome. The encouraging news for San Antonio is that many of those issues are fixable. Even Wemby himself didn’t seem to be worried after the game.
The Spurs generated plenty of opportunities but struggled with execution, particularly from their stars outside of Wembanyama. If they can clean up a few mistakes and get more efficient performances from their supporting cast, there is every reason to believe they can head back home with the series tied.
Here are the five biggest keys for San Antonio entering Game 2.
1. Turn Victor Wembanyama’s Dominance Into Efficient Team Offense
At first glance, Wembanyama’s stat line looks spectacular. The Spurs superstar posted 26 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, and drew constant attention from New York’s defense. He even had an awesome “aura moment” in his first Finals game to start the matchup, and we all thought he was off to a special start.
However, he also needed 21 shot attempts to get there and finished just 6-21 from the field. That’s a testament to his greatness, but it also highlights how difficult the Knicks made every possession.
The Spurs have to do a better job creating easier opportunities for their franchise centerpiece. More pick-and-rolls with Fox, more early offense, and more actions that force Karl-Anthony Towns to defend in space could create cleaner looks around the basket.
Wembanyama was solid despite the Knicks’ defensive game plan led by Karl-Anthony Towns. If San Antonio can make his workload easier, his efficiency could become even more devastating.
2. De’Aaron Fox Must Play Like An All-NBA Guard
The biggest disappointment in Game 1 was undoubtedly De’Aaron Fox.
Fox finished with just seven points on 3-13 shooting while missing all four of his three-point attempts. He also committed three turnovers and never consistently put pressure on New York’s defense. For a player who serves as San Antonio’s primary creator alongside Wembanyama, that simply cannot happen again in a Finals game.
The Spurs don’t need Fox to score 40 points, but they absolutely need him to be aggressive. When Fox is attacking the rim and creating open looks for teammates, San Antonio becomes a completely different offense. The Knicks were able to focus most of their attention on Wembanyama because Fox never forced them to adjust.
If Fox can produce something closer to 20-22 points while generating five or six assists, the entire complexion of this series changes.
3. Stop Settling For Bad Three-Point Attempts
San Antonio shot itself out of the game. The Spurs attempted 43 three-pointers and made only 11, finishing at a miserable 25.6% from beyond the arc.
Wembanyama alone took nine threes, while Stephon Castle attempted five and Devin Vassell took six. Too often possessions ended with contested jumpers rather than quality looks near the basket.
This is especially frustrating because San Antonio actually won several of the hustle categories. They dominated the offensive glass with 14 offensive rebounds and generated numerous second-chance opportunities. Unfortunately, many of those extra possessions ended with rushed perimeter shots.
The Spurs need to trust their size advantage more. Attack the paint, put pressure on New York’s interior defenders, and force the Knicks to collapse before kicking the ball out. Better shot selection could be worth 10 to 15 points by itself.
4. Limit Jalen Brunson’s Supporting Cast
Everyone expects Jalen Brunson to score. The Knicks superstar poured in 30 points on 12-31 shooting and remains one of the toughest covers in playoff basketball.
The bigger problem for San Antonio was that too many other Knicks players found ways to impact the game. Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 12 rebounds, OG Anunoby scored 17, and Landry Shamet provided 13 valuable points off the bench.
Even Josh Hart, despite scoring only three points, controlled the game in other ways by grabbing 15 rebounds, handing out six assists, and recording four steals. Those kinds of contributions are backbreakers because they allow New York to survive inefficient stretches from Brunson.
San Antonio has to make the supporting cast uncomfortable. Brunson may still get his numbers, but limiting everyone else could dramatically improve the Spurs’ chances.
5. Match New York’s Physicality For 48 Minutes
One of the most underrated aspects of Game 1 was how physical the Knicks were. New York consistently won the small battles. They forced 13 Spurs turnovers, generated 19 points off those mistakes, and repeatedly made San Antonio work for every quality look.
The Knicks may not have dominated statistically across the board, but they consistently made the tougher, smarter play when it mattered most. The Spurs showed flashes of matching that intensity.
They outrebounded New York, won second-chance opportunities, and received strong effort from players like Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie. The issue was sustaining that energy for four quarters.
San Antonio has the talent to beat New York. If the Spurs bring greater focus, cleaner execution, and more physicality from the opening tip, they have a very real chance to leave Game 2 with the series tied at one game apiece.
