SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Sandro Mamukelashvili made NBA history on Wednesday night, becoming the first player to score 34 points in less than 20 minutes of play. The San Antonio Spurs defeated the New York Knicks 120-105, with Mamukelashvili finishing with a career-high 34 points on 13-for-14 shooting, including a perfect 7-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Mamukelashvili had an explosive start, scoring 13 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing out an assist in just eight minutes of the first half. His performance helped the Spurs build a dominant 28-point lead by halftime.
The second half saw Mamukelashvili add 21 more points, including a standout 21-point effort in the final quarter, sealing the Spurs’ victory. He now joins an exclusive list of players to score 30+ points in under 20 minutes, a group that includes Jaylen Brown (33 points), Kevin Love (32 points), and Kevin Durant (30 points).
Spurs guard Stephon Castle contributed 22 points, while Chris Paul added 12 points and nine assists. San Antonio won its third game in the last eight, marking a solid performance despite missing key players due to injury.
For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns led the team with 32 points and nine rebounds. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges each chipped in 14 points. The Knicks are now 3-3 since Jalen Brunson was sidelined with a sprained right ankle.
The win was particularly important for the Spurs, who have been struggling with the absence of star players Victor Wembanyama (out with a blood clot in his right shoulder) and De’Aaron Fox (recovering from left pinkie surgery).
San Antonio dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Knicks 38-23. During this stretch, New York went on a 3:37 scoring drought. However, the Knicks fought back with a 29-16 third quarter, but ultimately couldn’t close the gap.
Takeaways:
Knicks: Mitchell Robinson returned to form with 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, shooting 5-for-6 from the field in 17 minutes.
Spurs: Jeremy Sochan contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists in his return to the starting lineup.
Key Moment:
Devin Vassell’s three-pointer with 2:37 left in the first half capped a 30-7 run, giving the Spurs a commanding 61-35 lead.
Key Stat:
The Spurs outrebounded the Knicks 61-48, despite having no players taller than 6-foot-9 available.
Up Next:
Knicks: The team will travel to Charlotte for a game on Thursday night.
Spurs: San Antonio will host Philadelphia on Friday night.
