EditorsNote: fixes to "Kevin Knox II" in fifth graf
LaMarcus Aldridge poured in 22 points, and Bryn Forbes added 20 to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a come-from-behind, 120-111 win over the visiting New York Knicks on Wednesday in the season-opening game for both teams.
The Spurs used a 17-0 run over a 4 1/2-minute span of the fourth quarter to turn a five-point deficit into a 109-97 lead, with five different players scoring points in the decisive surge.
New York missed six straight shots and committed an offensive foul during that stretch and showed a lack of experience in the most crucial part of the game, with many of its shots rushed and taken early in the shot clock.
The Spurs had five players score in double figures, as Dejounte Murray added 18 (along with eight rebounds, six assists and three steals) and DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay hit for 13 points each. Trey Lyles pulled down 11 rebounds to help San Antonio forge a 51-39 advantage on the glass.
Marcus Morris led New York with 26 points while Julius Randle added 25 points with 11 rebounds and six assists for the Knicks. Rookie RJ Barrett had 21 points in his first regular-season game, and Kevin Knox II and Elfrid Payton scored 13 and 11 points, respectively, for New York.
San Antonio led by as many as 16 points in the first half before a 12-1 run capped by a driving layup by Barrett whittled the advantage to 41-37 with 5:22 to play in the second quarter.
Eight points by Forbes over the quarter's final four minutes, including a 3-pointer and three free throws after being fouled while shooting from beyond the arc, helped the Spurs push their lead back to 59-51 at intermission.
Morris' 17 points, on 6-for-8 shooting, paced all scorers in the first half, with Randle hitting for 11 points for the Knicks.
Forbes led the Spurs with 15 points at the half, while Murray, in his first regular-season action since the 2017-18 season, added 10 points in 11 first-half minutes for San Antonio.
New York tied the game at 69 on a running layup by Bobby Portis off a Barrett assist with 5:54 to play in the third quarter and then took a 72-69 lead on a 3-pointer by Randle. Barrett's jumper at the buzzer handed the Knicks an 84-83 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.
--Field Level Media
