Precious Achiuwa fills Knicks void with key game against Spurs
There was 6:34 left in the fourth quarter and the Knicks trailed by five when Karl-Anthony Towns picked up his fifth foul.
It looked bleak.
Precious Achiuwa changed that.
The reserve forward helped the Knicks flip the game.
Achiuwa was on the floor as they ripped off a game-turning 20-9 run and held on for a 117-114 victory over the Spurs on Christmas.
Achiuwa helped slow down Victor Wembanyama and played a key factor in the Knicks’ dominance on the offensive glass, grabbing 10 boards in all and four on the offensive end.
“Just doing everything possible to win the game, playing the game the right way, trying to chip away and trusting each other,” Achiuwa said. “That’s what it came down to, and executing at a high level. Staying positive.”
It was also a memorable holiday for The Bronx native, getting to play in front of loved ones on Christmas for the first time.
“It was great,” said Achiuwa, who missed the season’s first 21 games due to a left hamstring strain. “Just a surreal moment, being able to play in front of friends on a day like this. It was amazing.”
For a good portion of that pivotal fourth quarter, Jalen Brunson and Towns were on the bench.
But other, less heralded Knicks emerged.
Achiuwa and Miles McBride played major roles.
Mikal Bridges scored 15 of his Knicks’ career-high 41 points in the period and OG Anunoboy kept Wembanyama scoreless over the final 7:44.
“It shows the depth of the team,” Josh Hart said. “Obviously [Bridges] had an amazing game and that’s why we went and got him. OG had huge plays offensively and more importantly, defensively for us. And Deuce gave us good minutes. Now we’re in the position where we don’t need ‘JB’ to go out there and score 30 for us to win, for us to be in the game.”
Former St. John’s star Julian Champagnie, enjoying a breakout season, scored nine points in 26 minutes off the bench for the Spurs.
He entered averaging a career-high 12.5 points as a 3-and-D wing.
Fellow Big East alum, rookie Stephon Castle of Connecticut, had six points and three assists in his Garden debut as a pro.
