New York Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs Recap, Highlights, Final Score, More

The New York Knicks losing streak continued as they lost at the AT&T Center to the San Antonio Spurs.

The New York Knicks losing streak continued Saturday night. The San Antonio Spurs were able to knock them off, but not without some challenges. After a very poor first half, the Knicks stormed back in the third quarter, cutting an 18 point halftime deficit to only four going into the fourth quarter.

The Spurs were able to withstand the Knicks second half run with a 28-24 victory in the fourth quarter. Patty Mills led the way in the final quarter, scoring all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter.

The Knicks were without Carmelo Anthony once again, who is dealing with a knee injury. Kristaps Porzingis battled foul trouble all evening as well, which put the Knicks offense in a hole. Other players were able to step up and make it competitive, but it was not enough to overcome not having their two leading scorers.

More from New York Knicks

• New York Knicks Fall to Eighth After NBA Draft Lottery
• New York Knicks: Players to Draft in Worst-Case Lottery Scenario
• New York Knicks: Three Players Who Should Thrive Under Tom Thibodeau
• Is Devin Booker to the New York Knicks Realistic?
• New York Knicks: Tom Thibodeau Officially Hired as Head Coach

While losing is normally not something you want, it actually benefits the Knicks. They now are tied with the Orlando Magic with 46 losses, tied for fourth-most in the NBA. Every loss improves the Knicks chances in the lottery to land a top pick.

With how things are shaping up, the Knicks are looking at a potential top-five pick. They were competitive for only a handful of minutes each game as the Knicks went 0-4 on their West Coast road trip.

Three Stars

C Willy Hernangomez, Knicks — Hernangomez has been one of the few bright spots for the Knicks this season. He had an outstanding game against the Spurs tonight. Hernangomez scored a career-high 23 points, adding 13 rebounds as well. He chipped in one assist, one steal, and one block as well.

SF Kawhi Leonard, Spurs — Leonard was outstanding for the Spurs tonight. With Carmelo Anthony not in the lineup his defensive prowess was not as needed; so he used it on offense. Leonard scored a game-high 29 points as the Knicks had no answer for him. He made 11-of-18 from the field, knocking down 4-of-6 from deep and 3-of-5 from the foul line. He added five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks.

PG Derrick Rose, Knicks — With Anthony out and Porzingis a non-factor, Rose did what he could to pick up the scoring slack. He scored 24 points, making 10-of-22 from the field. It is only the second time in the last seven games that Rose has scored at least 20 points. He also pulled down two rebounds and handed out five assists tonight against the Spurs with only one turnover in 36 minutes.

Highlights

https://twitter.com/nyknicks/status/845821149313351680

Next: New York Knicks 30 Greatest Players Of All-Time

Next Game

The Knicks return home for a game against the reeling Detroit Pistons on Monday night. The Spurs will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night on TNT.