San Antonio went 62-20 last season, the second-best record in the NBA, and then won the West. The Spurs beat Oklahoma City 111-103 in Game 7 of the conference finals on May 30, in Oklahoma City.

The Finals went the other way. The Knicks won four of five games, three of them by four points or fewer, and took their first title since 1973.

1. May 30Spurs 111, Thunder 103 in Game 7 in Oklahoma City
2. June 3Knicks 105, Spurs 95 in Game 1 of the Finals
3. June 10Knicks 107, Spurs 106 after New York came back from 29 down
4. June 13Knicks 94, Spurs 90 to end the series 4-1

The schedule opened with a rematch. Oklahoma City came to San Antonio on Oct. 20 and won 116-104, leading for all but the first five minutes.

Wembanyama missed his first 12 shots, including an alley-oop that rookie Aday Mara blocked. His only basket was another alley-oop from De’Aaron Fox as the third quarter ended. It was his fewest made field goals since he went 2 for 5 against Minnesota on May 10.

The game also had a fight. Early in the second quarter Fox picked up a flagrant foul for throwing Chet Holmgren to the floor, and Wembanyama had to be separated from Jaylin Williams. The Thunder then ran away to a 59-33 lead. The Spurs got within single digits in the second half but never closer.

Three nights later the Spurs played a home game in Austin, Texas, against Houston. Wembanyama had 25 points and 13 rebounds, and Dylan Harper’s driving dunk cut the Rockets’ lead to two with 46 seconds left.

On the next-to-last possession Wembanyama banked in a long 3-pointer, but it did not count. Coach Mitch Johnson had called timeout with five seconds left, just before the shot.

Then, with less than a second to go, Amen Thompson blocked Wembanyama’s tying layup in the lane. Fred VanVleet made two free throws, and Houston won 114-110. The Spurs were 0-2 and facing their first 0-3 start since 2008-09.

In Dallas on Oct. 24 Wembanyama had one point until the middle of the second quarter. He finished with 23 points and four blocks, and the Spurs opened the fourth quarter on a 17-5 run to win 122-106. They had 15 offensive rebounds and won second-chance points 25-10.

Back home on Oct. 27 against Sacramento, the offense finally arrived. San Antonio scored 39 points in the first quarter and 80 by halftime, both season highs, and won 130-103 for its first home win.

Wembanyama scored 15 in the first quarter with four dunks, shot 14 for 21 and finished with nine dunks, matching his career high. Julian Champagnie made 8 of 13 threes for 26 points.

Spurs 3-pointers made by game

The next night in Salt Lake City, Utah led by as many as 11 and was up 55-51 at halftime. Wembanyama had 21 of the Spurs’ 51 first-half points.

San Antonio led 105-100 late, but Brice Sensabaugh and Keyonte George scored back to back to force overtime. The Spurs missed their last four shots of regulation, including Fox’s long heave at the buzzer.

Sensabaugh opened overtime with a 3-pointer. San Antonio then scored the next 12 points. Utah went 2 for 7 in the extra period with four turnovers, and the Spurs won 117-111.

Devin Vassell scored 17 of his 21 points after halftime. George had 31 for a Jazz team playing without Jaren Jackson, Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic.

Wembanyama's points by game

As a team, San Antonio is scoring 116.6 points and allowing 110.0. Both losses came at home or in a home game moved to Austin. The three wins have come by 16, 27 and six points.

The scoring has been spread around. Five Spurs have had a 20-point night: Wembanyama, Stephon Castle with 24 on opening night, Harper with 20 and 22, Champagnie with 26 against Sacramento and Vassell with 21 in Utah.