The New York Knicks secured a dramatic 105-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, taking a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson made the go-ahead free throw after a critical turnover by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who missed a potential game-winner in the final seconds.
The Spurs now face an uphill battle, needing to win four of the next five games after dropping the first two at home. No team has ever won the championship after losing the first two games of the Finals at home. Only Michael Jordan's 1993 Chicago Bulls and the 1995 Houston Rockets have won the opening two games on the road and gone on to win the title.
Knicks' Historic Playoff Run
The Knicks extended their playoff winning streak to 13 games, the second-longest in postseason history. They will have the chance to clinch their first championship since 1973 at Madison Square Garden, with US President Donald Trump expected to attend Game 3 on Monday.
Spurs' Fourth-Quarter Rally Falls Short
The Spurs erased a 14-point deficit with a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter. Wembanyama scored 22 of his 29 points in the second half, and his three-point play with 57.3 seconds left gave San Antonio its first lead since the second quarter at 104-102. After Brunson missed a shot, Wembanyama grabbed the rebound but made a bad pass that hit teammate Stephon Castle in the back. Brunson recovered the ball, was fouled, and made one of two free throws for the final margin.
San Antonio had one last chance with 7.5 seconds left, but Wembanyama's jump shot missed. "I threw that one away," Wembanyama said. "I messed up. We didn't play great as a team. We needed to win that game."
Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns, who led the team with 21 points and 13 rebounds, admitted he was praying during Wembanyama's final attempt. "A great player got a great shot, and it just didn't go in," Towns said.
Defensive Effort Key for Knicks
Towns delivered another strong defensive performance, pushing Wembanyama out of his comfort zone. "He's a once-in-a-generation player," Towns said. "You got to make it difficult on him."
Brunson and Mikal Bridges each scored 20 points, OG Anunoby added 17, and Landry Shamet contributed 13 off the bench. For the Spurs, Wembanyama finished with nine rebounds, four blocks, and two steals, while De'Aaron Fox scored 20 points.
First Half Action
The Spurs attacked the paint early, with Wembanyama's left-handed dunk giving them a 15-10 lead. Fox's alley-oop layup pushed the lead to 10 late in the first quarter. The Knicks responded in the second quarter, taking their first lead at 49-48 on Shamet's layup. Towns' three-pointer over Wembanyama gave New York a 56-52 halftime lead, which they extended to 12 before taking an 84-75 advantage into the fourth quarter.
"What a ballgame," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "They made a run. We made a run. Our guys just kept fighting."
