Knicks Found a Way to Hold Victor Wembanyama in Check

Karl-Anthony Towns stepped up on defense.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama struggled against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Knicks hammered the Spurs on Sunday, ending San Antonio’s 11-game win streak and scoring an emphatic 114-89 win. They also may have figured out how to keep San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama in check.

Wembanyama finished the game with 25 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, and four blocks, but also turned the ball over seven times. It took him 17 shots to get to 25 points, and he was 1-of-7 from three-point range. He did most of his damage at the free throw line, going 8-of-9 from the stripe. He was also a -15 for the game in 34 minutes. That was his second-worst plus/minus of the season.

So how did the Knicks hold the 22-year-old phenom back? They used Karl-Anthony Towns.

San Antonio shot 26% from three-point range for the game, hitting 9-of-34 attempts. On possessions in which Towns guarded Wembanyama, they were 2-of-14 (14%). As a team, the Spurs are shooting 35.2% from three this season, so they were held far below their team average.

Towns is not a great defender, as his defensive rating is 110.2, which is about average. For some reason, he was wildly effective against Wembanyama.

After the game, Wembanyama said the Knicks were physical with the Spurs, which made them a bit hesitant. “For myself, I was especially hesitant on threes for some reason,” he said. “Yeah, hesitant for some reason... we should have been better.”

Having a fellow 7-footer chase you around the arena might cause some hesitation. While Towns has been having a down year by his standards, he was a big key to New York’s win on Sunday. So far during the 2025-26 season, he’s averaging 19.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 31.3 minutes per game. On Sunday, he had 12 points, 14 rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 28 minutes. But his defense on Wembanyama was key to the victory.

While San Antonio’s lengthy win streak is over, the team is still in a great position. They lead the Southwest Division at 43-17, and sit 2.5 games behind the Thunder for the top spot in the Western Conference.

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