The San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday night, and it’s a legit heavy-hitter matchup, not just a random late-December game. Both teams come in at 23-9, with the Spurs sitting 2nd in the West and the Knicks alike in the East.
This is also a rematch with real juice. The Knicks beat the Spurs 124-113 in the NBA Cup final earlier this month, so this isn’t hard to sell: same opponent, same stakes-energy, different setting.
Star power is obvious. Victor Wembanyama has been putting up 24.0 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, and he’s also at 3.0 blocks per game. Jalen Brunson has led the Knicks at 29.4 points per game, with Karl-Anthony Towns adding 22.0 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.
Injury Report
Spurs
Devin Vassell: Out (left adductor strain)
Stephon Castle: Questionable (left thumb sprain)
Knicks
Josh Hart: Out (right ankle sprain)
Mitchell Robinson: Out (left ankle injury management)
Landry Shamet: Out (right shoulder sprain)
Ariel Hukporti: Questionable (lip laceration)
Tyler Kolek: Probable (right ankle soreness)
Why The Spurs Have The Advantage
The headliner is still Wembanyama, but the “Spurs advantage” in this one is really about how many different ways they can pressure you around him.
Start with the backcourt. De’Aaron Fox is at 21.6 points and 6.0 assists per game, and that matters because he can bend a defense without needing the perfect matchup. If the Knicks blitz or load up to keep him out of the paint, the Spurs can counter with Stephon Castle as a second creator. Castle is at 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game, and he’s been efficient doing it. If he plays, that’s a real problem for a Knicks team missing Hart’s physicality on the wing.
Then you get into the role-player layer, where the Spurs have been steady. Harrison Barnes has given them 12.3 points per game and he’s hitting 39.4% from three, which is exactly the kind of “don’t leave me” spacing that opens lanes for Fox and Wembanyama. Keldon Johnson has also been a clean bucket in his role, scoring 13.2 points per game and drilling 41.8% from three.
And the part that swings this matchup: if Robinson sits, the Knicks lose their most natural “big body” counter on the glass and at the rim. That’s where Wembanyama’s length can turn normal possessions into broken ones, because misses become second chances and drives become floaters instead of layups.
Why The Knicks Have The Advantage
If you’re looking for the cleanest edge in this matchup, it’s the Knicks’ shot creation package, because it comes in layers and it travels.
Brunson sets the tone, obviously. When he’s scoring at this level, everything feels organized. But the bigger deal is what sits behind him. Towns has been consistent at 22.0 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, and his ability to score in different spots forces the Spurs to guard actions instead of just guarding one guy.
Then come the wings, and that’s where this gets annoying for the Spurs. Mikal Bridges is at 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 52.4% from the field and 41.7% from three. That’s not “nice role player” production, that’s a real two-way connector who keeps possessions alive and punishes rotations. OG Anunoby has also been doing his thing as a two-way closer, and he’s at 15.5 points per game while hitting 36.4% from three.
And even with Josh Hart out, the Knicks still have guard minutes that can swing a game. Miles McBride is at 11.7 points per game, and he’s shooting 44.2% from three, which matters because it keeps Brunson from having to create every single good look in the half-court.
The simple version: the Knicks can beat you with Brunson hero-ball, but they don’t have to. They can win with spacing, decision-making, and a lot of guys who hit shots when the defense finally tilts.
Spurs vs. Knicks Prediction
This feels like a “final two minutes” game. The Knicks have the cleaner half-court offense, but the Spurs have the size disruption and the shot-blocking chaos that can flip momentum fast, especially at home. If Castle plays, I like the Spurs’ creation depth just a little more.
Prediction: Spurs 118, Knicks 114
