After the game, an excited Wembanyama told reporters, "Beating the Knicks was a huge boost for us. It proved how strong we are, that this team can challenge opponents above us, and that we have a chance to take on a historic powerhouse like them—even beat them! It's exhilarating. It also helped me believe in myself and in this team. We really do have a bright future!"
"Beating Chris once was incredibly exciting for me personally, too. Hey, man, that's Chris! He's a superstar who's won four straight MVPs. Even one win over him is worth celebrating. But I don't believe that number will stay at one. I'll keep challenging him!"
The Knicks were so formidable that even after winning, the Spurs players were careful not to get carried away.
Even Wemby, fiercely competitive as he was, had merely voiced his hopes for the future.
Perhaps that, too, showed just how dominant the New York Knicks had been this season.
As for the impact of the loss, it wasn't all that significant.
It was only one regular-season game. Losses happened.
You won some, you lost some.
If anything, never losing would have been stranger. The pressure on the players would only have kept growing.
One loss might even have loosened the tension they had been carrying for so long.
Besides, when it came to their record, the Knicks still had a four-game margin for error.
So it was hardly a loss they couldn't afford.
March 20 arrived.
The Knicks visited the Toronto Raptors.
With Hartenstein and Ethan resting, New York still needed only three quarters to put the game away.
The final score was 124–117.
Chen Xi posted a steady 38 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals, keeping his statistical foundation firmly in place.
Next came March