NEW YORK _ The Knicks felt good about themselves after a loss to the Spurs six nights ago. They couldn't have felt that great after the two teams met again at Madison Square Garden.
The Spurs caused the Knicks offense to sputter, and made Kristaps Porzingis look like an average player in a 100-91 defeat at Madison Square Garden.
Porzingis shot 5 for 19 and scored just 13 points in the Knicks' fifth loss in six games. Porzingis was scoreless in the fourth quarter.
Michael Beasley led the Knicks (18-19) with 18 points and nine rebounds. Courtney Lee and Lance Thomas each scored 13.
LaMarcus Aldridge outplayed Porzingis for the second time in six days, and led all scorers with 29 points. Kawhi Leonard added 25 points and Manu Ginobili, who was serenaded with loud chants of "Ma-Nu" throughout the game, scored 12.
Leonard didn't play Thursday due to "return from injury management" when the Knicks lost in San Antonio by 12. Afterward, the Knicks were happy with how they fought. They didn't put up much of a fight in their first game of the new year.
The Knicks have been a good home team, but this was their second straight loss at the Garden. Now they're off on a three-game trip beginning Wednesday in Washington.
The Knicks are only 3-12 on the road. They won their last away game, Saturday in New Orleans. Porzingis carried them, finishing with 30 points after making huge baskets down the stretch. But he struggled throughout against the Spurs. The Knicks struggled to get in any offensive flow against the superior Spurs (26-12).
The Knicks got off to a good start, scoring 34 points in the first 14:14 of the game. They led by nine at that time. But they totaled just 57 after that. They had a 20-point second quarter and an 18-point third.
The Spurs led 90-75 with 7:28 left as the Knicks looked ready to be blown out. But they weren't. The Knicks scored eight consecutive points and trimmed it to 90-83. This run came with Porzingis, who was 5 for 17 at the time, on the bench.
Porzingis returned with 4:36 left and the Knicks down 92-83. But the Knicks couldn't get any closer until the waning seconds when the game was already decided. Aldridge scored inside over Porzingis and then hit two free throws on the next trip to put the Spurs in front 96-83.
Both teams had their difficulties scoring in the first half. The Knicks led by nine early in the second quarter, and were up 43-35 with 5:46 left. But they made just two field goals the rest of the way _ one was a Lance Thomas' 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 52-49 San Antonio.
Thomas, who is known for his defense, was the Knicks' best offensive player in the first half. He scored 13 points, which was more points than he's scored in a game all season. Thomas was 5 for 7 overall and hit 3 of 5 from 3-point range.
Before Thomas' buzzer-beater, the Spurs were on a 17-3 run that included three-straight three-pointers. The Knicks were 1-for-7 from the field, 1-for-2 from the line and committed four turnovers during the 14-point swing.
The Knicks were being outworked and outhustled during that San Antonio surge.
The Spurs converted back-to-back offensive rebounds into layups. So coach Jeff Hornacek removed Enes Kanter from the game and inserted Joakim Noah. A few trips later, Leonard collected an offensive rebound and scored when Noah was whistled for basketball interference.
Overall, the Knicks scored just 20 points in the second quarter. Porzingis was 3 for 11 at the half, and missed his only two attempts in the second.
Porzingis hit two of his first three shots in the third. His second basket, a turnaround jumper, gave the Knicks a 59-57 lead with 8:03 left. The Knicks didn't hit another shot for more than 5:30. They were 0 for 9 in that time and outscored 20-4, as they fell behind 77-63.
Beasley ended the Knicks' drought with a reverse layup with 2:27 remaining. They got it within nine after Lee hit a bank shot on the next trip.
But the Spurs still led by 14, 81-67 at the end of the quarter. Leading by 11, Ginobili, standing behind the 3-point line, threw a lob pass intended for Aldridge. But it swished through the net.
