Knicks Survive Spurs Rally, Take 2-0 Finals Lead

The New York Knicks are two wins away from their first NBA championship since 1973 after surviving a furious San Antonio comeback and beating the Spurs 105-104 in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Victor Wembanyama had a chance to win it in the final seconds, but his open jumper from just inside the three-point line was too strong, bouncing off the rim as time expired and allowing the Knicks to escape with a second straight road win.

The victory extended New York’s playoff winning streak to 13 games, the second-longest run in NBA postseason history. The Knicks also became just the third team ever to win the first two games of an NBA Finals on the road, joining the 1993 Chicago Bulls and the 1995 Houston Rockets. Both of those teams went on to win the title.

For the second straight game, San Antonio started stronger. The Spurs jumped out to a 35-24 lead behind their energy, pace and home crowd, but the Knicks fought back in the second quarter behind Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns scored 17 points in the first half, nearly matching his Game 1 total before the break, and helped New York take its first lead with 3:39 left in the second quarter. The Knicks went into halftime up four, then opened the third quarter with an 11-5 run to push the lead to 10.

San Antonio responded when Towns picked up his third and fourth fouls, forcing him to the bench and opening the door for Wembanyama to take over. The French star scored 12 of his 29 points in the third quarter, most of them with Towns off the floor.

The Knicks still held the lead entering the fourth, but the Spurs refused to go away. San Antonio cut the deficit to five with just over nine minutes left, and the game grew more physical after De’Aaron Fox got into Jalen Brunson’s face. Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father, appeared to be held back by head coach Mike Brown during the exchange.

New York responded by building its largest lead of the night with just over six minutes to play, but that only set up San Antonio’s final push. After an intense pep talk from Wembanyama, the Spurs ripped off a 14-0 run to tie the game at 97, while the Knicks went cold from the field.

The teams traded baskets down the stretch before Wembanyama drove inside, finished through contact and converted the free throw to give San Antonio its first lead of the second half.

Brunson answered with a step-back jumper to tie the game at 104 with 39 seconds remaining.

The deciding sequence came with fewer than 30 seconds left. Brunson missed a jumper, and Wembanyama grabbed the rebound. But his quick outlet pass hit teammate Stephon Castle in the back, creating a turnover. Wembanyama then fouled Brunson, who made one of two free throws to put New York ahead by one.

San Antonio had one final chance, but Wembanyama’s last shot missed.

Wembanyama finished with a game-high 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, but afterward admitted the final possessions were still “very blurry.”

“That’s the whole problem. I need to have more poise, more control over the game,” he said.

Towns led the Knicks with 21 points and 13 rebounds on 8-of-12 shooting. Brunson and Mikal Bridges each added 20 points.

After the final buzzer, Towns looked toward the sky. Asked by ABC what he was saying, he spoke about his late mother, who died during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I needed a stop,” Towns said. “As you go through life, if you lose a parent, you just look for signs. I’ll take any sign I could get, and I prayed to her strong before that possession.”

Game 3 is scheduled for Monday night at Madison Square Garden, the first Finals game in New York in 27 years. President Donald Trump is expected to attend, and the Knicks have warned fans to arrive two hours early because of increased security.