NBA on Christmas Day live scores, updates, highlights, analysis: Knicks triumph despite Victor Wembanyama show

On By Littum

All the talk before the lead-up to Christmas Day was Victor Wembanyama taking Manhattan.

And the sophomore sensation certainly delivered.

Wembanyama scored 42 points to come close to breaking the Christmas Day debut scoring record of 45 set by rookie Wilt Chamberlain in 1959, but the Knicks held on for a 117-114 win on Wednesday.

Mikal Bridges had his best game of the season, scoring 41 on 17-of-25 shooting with six 3s to power the Knicks, and Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 41 points.

Wembanyama added 18 rebounds, four assists and four blocks for San Antonio.

The Knicks improved to 19-10, while San Antonio dropped to 15-14.

  • Knicks 117, Spurs 114

  • Timberwolves-Mavericks, 2:30 p.m. ET: You never know what Anthony Edwards will say.

  • 76ers-Celtics, 5 p.m. ET: The champions are the champions.

  • Lakers-Warriors, 8 p.m. ET: Let’s Enjoy LeBron Vs. Steph while we still can.

  • Nuggets-Suns, 10:30 p.m. ET: Nikola Jokić is the best player on earth and Kevin Durant still gets it done.

Live44 updates

  • Luka Doncic vs Anthony Edwards.

    Two super productive players. Two super different approaches.

    This should be a good one!

  • The Knicks hang on

    Knicks win in a thriller!

    AND Anunoby and Josh Hart with key offensive rebounds and it’s game on.

    Here’s hoping we get a similar quality game in Dallas.

  • Knicks up three, 117-114, with 38.6 seconds left. They have possession.

    Bridges, Towns and Brunson combined for 82 of New York’s points today. And they’ve needed every single one of them.

    42/18 for Wembanyama and 21/9 for Sochan.

    Fans got their money’s worth today. Great start to the Christmas Day game!

  • Mikal. Bridges.

    41 points, and gets what he wants in the mid range all game.

    17-24 shooting, including 6-8 from three. Spectacular performance.

  • This game is officially crazy. The Knicks and Spurs are constantly trading buckets and leads. The Knicks get a big boost from the supporting cast. Hart with 11, Miles McBride with 8 off the bench.

    For the Spurs, Jeremy Sochan has quietly added 21 with 8 rebounds.

  • Wouldn’t hate overtime here. What a game!

  • Bridges just got his sixth triple and has 35 points. He’s right back to being one of the most devastating plug-and-play guys in the league after a rough start to the season. Great achievement for him.

    Meanwhile, Towns just picked up his fifth foul. Hard timing. He has only played 29 minutes in this one.

  • Mikal Bridges and Victor Wembanyama trade buckets and it’s a great watch. Wembanyama just got his sixth triple and has 42 points and 17 rebounds.

  • With just under 10 minutes left, Wembanyama has 35 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. Spurs up 90-88.

    Looks like we could have an NBA Christmas Game classic on our hands, folks.

  • New York leads into the 4th

    The Knicks go up five (88-83) as we enter the fourth. 37-point third quarter for New York. Bridges up to 26, cities 21 and Brunson 20.

    This has been a good one. Neither team gives an inch.

  • Once again tied after Bridges converted a three-point play. This has been tight right from the start.

  • And just like that, the Knicks are back, with Towns leading the way. He is up to 21 points now. Hasn’t shot well from outside (1-5), but attacks the rim fiercely and forces the issue on an otherwise lifeless Knicks offense.

    Reminiscent of how he played in Minnesota before the Rudy Gobert acquisition.

  • Jeremy Sochan is in his third NBA season and is still a bit of a wild child. He is unpolished and questions about his shooting linger.

    That said, he is becoming an important part of how Spurs play. Breaks the glass, skilled playmaker, probes the defense relentlessly and is an improved goalscorer.

    While he’s not the long-term power forward option, you can keep him and play him as a positionless super sub.

  • Towns looks far more aggressive to start the third. Just attacked Wembanyama head on and got the bucket. Towns has made himself available for most of the game. The Knicks finally find him and let him create.

  • Abysmal shooting (4-21 from three) by New York in the first half. But they are right there. Bridges (16 points) has been an off-ball deity so far, but Towns, Anunoby and Brunson have combined for just 21 points.

    To be changed in the second half. The Knicks have the second best offense in the league.