Knicks defenders battle Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals
Knicks defenders battle Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals
The Knicks will get their first regular-season look at Victor Wembanyama since beating San Antonio for the championship. The NBA put the rematch in its usual New York spot: noon on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden.
The league announced the matchup Tuesday. It sends the Spurs back to the building where New York’s title run began and gives the Knicks another national game against the player who caused them the most unusual problems in June.
Knicks players contest a rebound by Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama rebounds over OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet in the Finals.
The Knicks still have to solve Victor Wembanyama
Winning the Finals did not make the matchup comfortable. Wembanyama can protect the rim without leaving the paint, recover to shooters and score over a good contest. There is no normal coverage for a 7-foot-4 center who can handle the ball outside.
The Knicks beat that problem with physical defense and better execution late in games. Karl-Anthony Towns pulled Wembanyama away from the rim, while Jalen Brunson kept forcing him into decisions in pick-and-roll coverage.
San Antonio now gets an offseason to adjust. The Spurs know which actions bothered them and where New York found open shots. Christmas is their first major chance to show the series taught them something.
I like this matchup more than another comfortable holiday game against a random visitor. The Knicks are champions now. Their Christmas opponent should have a reason to come into the Garden angry.
The noon start also puts the rematch in front of a national audience before the rest of the holiday schedule takes over. New York will raise its banner in October, visit Boston three nights later and then see San Antonio on Christmas.
The schedule is treating the Knicks like the league’s main attraction. They earned that. Now they have to handle the attention and beat Wembanyama again.