Julius Randle posted another double-double Wednesday night for the host New York Knicks, who scored the first 13 points of the game and were never seriously threatened in a 126-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Randle finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds in his seventh double-double in eight games this season.
Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 25 points while RJ Barrett had 24 points for the Knicks, who committed just four turnovers. Immanuel Quickley (19 points) and Isaiah Hartenstein (13 points) each got into double figures off the bench.
Jeremy Sochan scored 16 points while Malaki Branham and No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama each had 14 points for the Spurs, who have lost three straight. Wembanyama missed his first seven shots from the field and scored just six points in the first three quarters.
Tre Jones finished with 12 points off the bench while starter Zach Collins added 11 points.
Randle and Quentin Grimes had five points apiece during the Knicks’ game-opening run. The Spurs missed their first five shots, the first three of which were hoisted by Wembanyama.
San Antonio got no closer than seven from there and Barrett extended the Knicks’ lead to double digits for good with a 3-pointer that gave them an 18-6 lead with 6:56 left. New York led 33-16 at the end of the first and 65-51 at halftime.
The Knicks began the third on a 17-2 run that ended with 14 unanswered points. Brunson’s free throws with 3:28 left gave New York its biggest lead at 93-63. Wembanyama drained a jumper on the next trip down the floor for his first basket of the night.
The Knicks led 99-72 entering the fourth, when Hartenstein opened the quarter with a dunk. The Spurs made their first eight shots of the quarter and were 9-of-10 overall during a 22-9 run that pulled them within 108-94 with 7:05 left.
Randle scored five straight points and the Spurs answered with five quick points to cut the gap to 14 one more time at 113-99, but Brunson and Randle combined to score the next seven points for New York and San Antonio emptied its bench with 3:06 left.
–Field Level Media
