Wembanyama confident Spurs will bounce back from Game 1 loss - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama accepted responsibility for his role in San Antonio's first Game 1 loss in the NBA Finals in franchise history but said he isn't «worried in the slightest» about how the Spurs will fare as the series unfolds.

Minutes after the New York Knicks defeated San Antonio 105-95 on Wednesday to take a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals, Wembanyama, who committed postseason career highs in turnovers (six) and missed shots (15), agreed with coach Mitch Johnson's assessment that he needed to establish more of a presence inside to achieve overall team success. The Knicks outscored San Antonio 50-42 in the paint and outperformed the Spurs 23-14 in second-chance scoring.

«I agree with the coach,» Wembanyama said. «It's the same: Every team guards differently. I'm going to figure it out. I was bad tonight. It's not more complicated than that.»

Wembanyama finished with a team-high 26 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks, becoming the fourth player since blocks became official (1974) to achieve that line in their Finals debut. The 22-year-old joined Shaquille O'Neal (1995), Hakeem Olajuwon (1986) and Elvin Hayes (1975) to reach the accomplishment.

Yet that effort went for naught as San Antonio lost an NBA Finals opener for the first time in seven appearances.

«Felt like he missed a few shots early,» Johnson said of Wembanyama. «We've got to get him moving in space and toward the rim, whether that's on rolls or running in transition. But we need the pressure on the rim and the force in the paint. They did a good job obviously of being physical and showing crowds. We need to do a better job of establishing that early on, for sure.»

Wembanyama managed just five points on five attempts in the first quarter, but the