The New York Knicks are heading home with all the momentum, all the confidence, and a commanding grip on the NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson sank a go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds remaining after a costly turnover by Victor Wembanyama, and the Knicks escaped with a dramatic 105-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday night.
The win gives New York a 2-0 series lead as the Finals shift to Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will be just two victories away from capturing their first NBA championship since 1973.
Brunson once again delivered in crunch time, scoring the Knicks’ final three points and finishing with 20 points despite a difficult shooting night. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a dominant double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges added 20 points as New York extended its playoff winning streak to 13 games.
The streak is the second-longest in NBA postseason history and has the Knicks on the verge of ending a championship drought that has lasted more than five decades.
New York also joined elite company by becoming just the third team in NBA history to win the first two games of the Finals on the road. The only previous teams to accomplish the feat were Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in 1993 and Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets in 1995. Both went on to win the championship.
The Spurs appeared headed for defeat midway through the fourth quarter when they trailed by 14 points. Instead, San Antonio mounted a furious rally, scoring 14 consecutive points to erase the deficit and stun the Knicks.
Wembanyama, who was largely quiet during the first half, took over late. His three-point play with 57 seconds remaining gave the Spurs a 104-102 lead, their first advantage in nearly two full quarters.
The Knicks star drove for a tying basket on the ensuing possession, knotting the score at 104 despite making just his seventh field goal on 24 attempts.
After Wembanyama missed a long jumper, OG Anunoby secured the rebound and New York called timeout with 30 seconds remaining to set up a potential game-winning possession.
San Antonio initially got the defensive stop it needed, but disaster struck when Wembanyama threw the ball away on the next possession. Brunson was fouled and calmly stepped to the line, converting the decisive free throw to put New York ahead 105-104.
Following a timeout with 7.5 seconds left, De’Aaron Fox received the inbound pass and quickly found Wembanyama for a jumper that could have won the game. The shot bounced off the rim as time expired, sending the Knicks into celebration mode and silencing the home crowd.
Wembanyama finished with a game-high 29 points after his slow start, while Fox added 20 points for San Antonio.
Now the series heads to New York, where anticipation is reaching historic levels. Madison Square Garden is expected to be at a fever pitch for Game 3 on Monday night, with secondary-market ticket prices for upper level seats nearing $9,000 by the end of Friday’s game.
Even President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, is expected to attend.
For a franchise and fan base that have spent generations waiting for another title, the dream is suddenly closer than ever. The Knicks have stolen both games in San Antonio and now return to the world’s most famous arena needing just two more wins to complete one of the most memorable championship runs in franchise history.
