San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is “not worried in the slightest” after Wednesday’s Game 1 home loss.
The Knicks beat the Spurs 105-95 on Wednesday night to grab a 1-0 series lead, and Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 of which came from the free throw line.
“We’ve been down in a series before,” Wembanyama said. “Never in the Finals, obviously.
“But I’m not kicking myself about anything, really. I’m not worried in the slightest.”
The Spurs led the Knicks by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, but with Jalen Brunson leading the comeback with a game-high 30 points, that lead slowly evaporated.
Wembanyama shot just 28 percent from the field during the game and 22 percent from behind the arc.
When the Spurs needed him most, the 7-foot-4 Frenchman scored just 11 points in the second half.
Brunson alone had 13 in the fourth quarter.
“I was bad tonight,” Wembanyama said. “It’s not more complicated than that. … I think we let that one go.”
Wembanyama has been on fire this postseason, averaging 23.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.5 blocks.
The Spurs are undefeated in the playoffs when the forward tallied at least 30 points. In fact, it’s been two months since Wembanyama lost and put up 30 or more points.
“It’s almost not like I have anything to figure out. It’s almost like I have to play normal, not even good [in Game 2],” Wembanyama said. “It’s just [about] doing the right things enough.
“When we play bad, when I play bad, is when we shoot ourselves in the foot. This is why I’m not worried. We’re going to be so much better. I’m going to be so much better.”
Wembanyama said he felt the Spurs had momentum in the game until the very end, and ultimately believed San Antonio let the game slip.
The Spurs led by one point with 2:16 left, but surrendered an 11-0 run to end the game.
In the final two minutes, Wembanyama turned the ball over once and then missed a 3-pointer on the next possession. The Knicks turned the next possession into points on both occasions.
“It was quick,” Wembanyama said. “I think we let that one go.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
