Knicks Holiday Game Ranked Second-Worst

The New York Knicks' Christmas game against the San Antonio Spurs doesn't have as much intrigue compared to the others.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 23, 2024

Mar 29, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket while defended by San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones (33) during overtime at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have Dec. 25 circled on the calendar as they host their annual Christmas game against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

It will be the first of five games on the day at noon ET, but according to CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn, it is also the second-worst of the Christmas contests.

"The last time Victor Wembanyama faced the Knicks, he posted a casual 40-point, 20-rebound double-double," Quinn writes. "That game was in San Antonio, but historically speaking, almost every NBA legend has at least one marquee regular-season performance at Madison Square Garden. LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kobe Bryant have all scored 50 or more points in games there. The chance that Wembanyama has his first great MSG performance on Christmas is enough to make this game appointment television."

The only game that ranked below Spurs vs. Knicks was the Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors matchup. The Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns nightcap, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks Western Conference Finals rematch and the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics rivalry game ranked ahead of Spurs vs. Knicks.

A big reason for that, however, has to do with the Spurs roster apart from Wembanyama.

"Unfortunately, the rest of [Wembanyama's] roster is still relatively weak," Quinn writes. "The Knicks are a championship contender, but they're playing a likely lottery opponent, and that knocks this game down the rankings a slot or two. Wembanyama vs. the Villanova alumni team will be fun, but doesn't quite crack the top three."

Perhaps a game like this will spark a Christmas rivalry between the two teams and a rematch will come years down the line when Wembanyama is in his prime and the Spurs are back to relevancy facing a Knicks team that will look to remain in the contender conversation and national spotlight.

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Published Aug 23, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.