New York Knicks: Who Stepped Up Against The San Antonio Spurs?

Courtney Lee

The New York Knicks wouldn’t have pulled away from the San Antonio Spurs without Courtney Lee. For that matter, the Knicks wouldn’t have been able to play at nearly as high of a level on defense without Lee.

Lee was everywhere on the defensive end of the floor, which includes a clutch play late in the fourth quarter that saved New York from disaster.

Lee finished the 94-90 victory with nine points, five rebounds, five assists, one offensive rebound, and one steal in 35 minutes of court time. He shot 4-of-9 from the field and made a 3-point field goal that helped set the tone for the second half.

More importantly, Lee was a hound on defense who played brilliantly away from the ball and held his own in an on-ball capacity, as well.

Lee’s biggest impact on the game was his transition defense on a crucial play late in the fourth quarter. San Antonio had numbers in the open court, but Lee disrupted the offense, stole the ball, and found Carmelo Anthony for a defining 3-point field goal.

That play prevented San Antonio from tying the game. It was also a microcosm of what made Lee’s performance so special and what Knicks fans hope to see from him from hereon out.