Mikal Bridges helps Knicks hold off Spurs 117-114

Mikal Bridges outdueled Victor Wembanyama in the fourth quarter Wednesday afternoon, when Bridges scored 15 points in the period to lead the host New York Knicks to a 117-114 comeback win over Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

Bridges and Wembanyama combined to score 26 points in a fast-paced fourth quarter in which the teams combined for 60 points while shooting a collective 57.5 percent (23-of-40).

Bridges finished with a season-high 41 points – the second-most by a Knicks player on Christmas Day behind Bernard King’s 60-point effort in 1984. It was the seventh 40-point game of Bridges’ career and his first since he had 42 points for the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 7, 2024.

Wembanyama had 42 points, 18 rebounds, four assists and four blocks in his Christmas Day debut.

Miles McBride hit the tie-breaking 3-pointer with 2:43 left to give the Knicks the lead for good as the hosts won their season-high fifth in a row and improved to 15-4 since Nov. 15.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 points with nine rebounds for New York and just missed his 19th straight double-double, while Josh Hart had 12 points and 12 rebounds). Jalen Brunson finished with 20 points.

Jeremy Sochan had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, who fell to 5-6 this month. Chris Paul scored 13 points while Devin Vassell added 11 points.

A chaotic and entertaining final 14 minutes began with the Knicks scoring the last 10 points of the third quarter to take an 88-83 lead. The Spurs then scored the first nine points of the fourth before Wembanyama outscored Bridges 7-6 during a span of 1:22, after which Tre Jones converted a three-point play to extend the Spurs’ lead to 102-94.

Bridges, Hart and OG Anunoby answered with three straight 3-pointers before the teams traded the lead on five consecutive trips. Hart’s tip-in of a Bridges miss put the Knicks up 109-106, after which Sochan tied the game for the final time with a 3-pointer with 3:04 left.

McBride answered with his tie-breaking basket to begin an 8-2 run for the Knicks. Paul sank a 25-footer with 42 seconds left, but Hart collected two offensive rebounds on the final possession as New York ran out the clock.

76ers spoil Celtics’ Christmas with 118-114 win

Tyrese Maxey collected 33 points and 12 assists to lead the visiting Philadelphia 76ers to a 118-114 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

The 76ers received 27 points and nine rebounds from Joel Embiid and 23 points from Caleb Martin, who made 7 of 9 3-point attempts.

The Celtics, who trailed by 15 in the fourth quarter, trimmed their deficit to 116-114 with 4.9 seconds to play, but Embiid made two free throws to put the 76ers up by four with 2.8 seconds left. Philadelphia has won six of its past eight games.

Jayson Tatum led Boston in points (32) and rebounds (15). Jaylen Brown added 23 points and seven rebounds but shot 10 of 23 from the field. Payton Pritchard missed all eight of his 3-point attempts.

Boston, which was coming off a 108-104 setback against the Orlando Magic on Monday, lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Jrue Holiday didn’t play for Boston because of a right shoulder impingement. The Celtics also played most of the game without Kristaps Porzingis, who sustained a left ankle injury and didn’t play in the second half.

Philadelphia was without Andre Drummond, who missed his first game since Dec. 4 because of a sprained left toe. Drummond leads the 76ers in rebounding (8.0 boards per game).