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The NBA could not have started off the slate of Christmas Day games better, with the clash between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks turning into an epic bout of individualism and suspence.
Victor Wembanyama, the 20-year-old superstar who won Rookie Of the Year last season, scored 42 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, dished four assists, and swatted four shots in his Christmas Day debut.
The performance underscored just how good an idea it was to place the Spurs as part of the first game on the schedule, giving European viewers a chance to catch the 7-foot-4 center utterly dominate the opposition.
That said, the Knicks had an ace up their sleeve in the form of Mikal Bridges, who exploded for 41 points, including 6-of-9 from 3-point territory. In a game that never saw a 10-point lead and swung back and forth, the Knicks took the 117-114 win in what was absolutely one of the most entertaining games of the season.
Let’s get into some thoughts and observations:
Even in defeat, Victor Wembanyama was the star of Christmas Day. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
New York Knicks 117, San Antonio Spurs 114
Are we sure Wembanyama isn’t a top-five player? This isn’t to say he assuredly is, but we have to be getting there. Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are all ahead, and by a reasonable distance. From there, there are at least debates. Many will argue Jayson Tatum should be ahead of Wembanyama, and he’s certainly a fair name to bring up, but that also warrants some discussion.
Jalen Brunson’s post game remains underrated, especially as a playmaker. Despite his 6-1 stature, Brunson is sturdy enough to keep his positioning, maintain his overview and leverage his scoring to optimize his options. Having Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby flanking the outside to help the spacing only adds more optionality for the All-Star point guard.
Bridges might have changed his shot, much to the initial concern of NBA fans and pundits everywhere, but the ironman spent all game throwing that skepticism back in everyone’s face. His motion, which has a higher release point than…
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Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-12-26 02:32:00
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