Devin Vassell calls out major issue Spurs must fix in Knicks series

The margins that separate winning from losing can become very thin when the competition reaches its pinnacle. In the NBA Finals, there is not much to separate the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, talent-wise. It will all boil down to which team can make shots, rebound, and take care of the basketball when it matters the most.

And in Game 1 on Wednesday night, it was the Knicks that ended up doing those things in the clutch, taking a 105-95 victory after going on an 11-0 run to end the game.

After the game, Spurs wing Devin Vassell, who finished with just nine points on 4-11 shooting but did corral nine rebounds, implored his team to lock in even more on the glass.

“We know we have to control the boards. In this series, they like to crash the glass. So it can’t just be one half where we’re crashing the glass. We have to help (Victor Wembanyama). We have to help the bigs down there. That’s going to be a huge part of the series,” Vassell said, via Spurs Nation on X (formerly Twitter).

Spurs guard Devin Vassell: “We know we have to control the boards. In this series, they like to crash the glass. So it can’t just be one half where we’re crashing the glass. We have to help Vic. We have to help the bigs down there. That's going to be a huge part of the series.” pic.twitter.com/MUwQ0BaliS

— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) June 4, 2026

The play that turned the game on its head came within two minutes of a close game that the Spurs led, 95-94. The Knicks got a good look from OG Anunoby, who had made two threes earlier in the period, but Anunoby failed to knock it down.

Completing the defensive stop would have been immense for the Spurs. Instead, they allowed Jalen Brunson to tap the ball to Mikal Bridges, who then swung the ball back to Brunson for an open three — giving the Knicks a lead they would not relinquish.

The Spurs did win the battle on the glass (54-49 total, 14-10 on the offensive boards) but they couldn’t get the ball when it mattered the most. And this is exactly the kind of thing they have to take care of for 48 minutes lest they throw away a game that was very much winnable.

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