Spurs players most to blame for NBA Finals Game 1 loss to Knicks

The San Antonio Spurs continue to prove every single one of their doubters wrong with every victory they earn in the 2026 NBA playoffs. They have managed to surpass even the loftiest of expectations for them prior to the start of the season, and even after winning 62 games in the regular season, not too many expected them to make it all the way to the NBA Finals by going through the Oklahoma City Thunder.

But the Spurs aren’t your regular young and inexperienced team. They have young superstars who have the composure of a 10-year veteran who’s gotten his heart broken in the playoffs multiple times, which means that they have a realistic shot at winning it all as they face the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals.

However, the Spurs got hit with a major reality check on Wednesday in Game 1. They need to elevate their games even further if they were to go all the way, as they suffered a 105-95 loss in Game 1 to the Knicks after seeing their offense run out of juice in the dying embers of the fourth quarter.

They have now lost homecourt advantage, although losing Game 1 is far from the end of the world. The Thunder lost Game 1 of the NBA Finals at home as well last year after the Indiana Pacers went on a flurry to end the fourth quarter, and they still managed to win the series in seven games.

But it’s clear that the Spurs have to be better in Game 2. These two players, in particular, have to take a long hard look at the mirror and vow to never have the kind of night they did on Wednesday at any point in the series from here on out.

The Spurs need to change their offensive approach with Victor Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama is one of the best players in the NBA, and he certainly has made a case to be called the best this early in his career. But he’s not Superman. He can do it all in spurts, but even someone as excellent as he is on an individual level needs some help.

He can handle the basketball, but a 7’4″ freak of nature can only handle so much of that ballhandling burden. However, the Spurs, seemingly by design, were very much willing to let Wembanyama go off the dribble from beyond the three-point line.

Karl-Anthony Towns does seem like a barbecue chicken defensive matchup on paper, but he slid his feet very well in Game 1 and contained plenty of drives from Wemby, thanks to some stunting from the other Knicks defenders.

Wembanyama, as a result of this heightened self-creation burden, had to settle for plenty of difficult shots from the perimeter. He went just 6-21 from the field; he shot just 3-14 from outside the paint, and that had a lot to do with the fact that he was taking these ridiculous turnaround jumpers that were heavily contested.

Moreover, Wembanyama was straight up just losing the ball at times, turning the ball over six times on the night. With the Spurs down by four, 99-95, in the final minute of Game 1, Wembanyama dribbled the ball off his foot. This paved the way for Jalen Brunson to drill the dagger that extended the Knicks’ lead to six, preventing any comeback from the Spurs.

Tim Legler on the ABC broadcast was calling for the Spurs to give Wembanyama more touches from the high post and from the elbow. This was more so his comfort zone. It’s not like he’s a Kevin Durant or Kobe Bryant type of offensive player who can manipulate defenses from beyond the arc with his dribbling and all-around game.

His best utility on offense, aside from his three-level scoring, is his length, and getting him closer to the basket not only makes his life as a scorer that much easier, but he also becomes more of a threat to the Knicks defense, requiring them to send more defensive coverage. This would then open up the floor for the rest of the Spurs’ shooters.

At the very least, this is a very correctable issue for the Spurs as they look to avoid going on the road down 2-0 in the NBA Finals.

De’Aaron Fox cannot put on a disappearing act

Fox’s importance to this Spurs roster cannot be overstated. He is a steadying force and a calming presence, and he has that ability to hit big shots in the clutch. He also gives the Spurs an additional ballhandler who can dictate the flow of the offense, relieving Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper of the brunt of the responsibility to lead the team on the court.

However, Fox may not yet be 100 percent healthy after suffering an ankle injury all the way back in the second round of the playoffs. He looks far from his best, and his struggles become even more magnified on a stage as grand as the NBA Finals.

Fox finished with just seven points on 3-13 shooting from the field in Game 1 against the Knicks, and he made some brutal plays towards the end that some fans will be wondering what in the world he was doing on the court all while Harper was on the bench.

With 1:21 remaining in the game and the Spurs down by just two, 97-95, it was Fox who missed a wide-open shot from nine feet. This was his money shot, and there are no excuses for him to not make that shot. This then snowballed into the next possession, when he fouled Mikal Bridges, who then nailed two free throws to extend New York’s lead to four.

And then Fox killed all ideas of a Spurs comeback after he turned the ball over with his team down by eight, 103-95.

It’s telling that Fox, despite his struggles, was one of only two players for the Spurs with a non-negative plus-minus on the night. But Fox needs to make shots and sharper decisions down the stretch for San Antonio to get over the hump. He is the adult of this group (alongside Harrison Barnes), and he needs to get it done.

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