The New York Knicks continued their remarkable playoff run, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. Jalen Brunson led the way with 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, as the Knicks overcame a 14-point second-half deficit.
Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds, while OG Anunoby added 17 points for New York, which has now won 12 consecutive playoff games. This streak ties the seventh-longest in NBA history and is the third such streak within a single season. The Knicks finished the game on an 11-0 run, sealing the victory with a spinning jumper from Brunson with 38 seconds remaining.
"He's a gamer, man," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "In the biggest moments, he shows up. That's what MVPs are supposed to do."
Victor Wembanyama had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs but struggled from the field, shooting 6-for-21. Stephon Castle scored 17 points, while Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper each added 16 for San Antonio. "I was bad tonight," Wembanyama said. "It's not more complicated than that."
The Knicks became the first team to beat the Spurs in a Game 1 of the NBA Finals, as San Antonio had previously been 6-0 in such games. This also marked the first time the Spurs have trailed in a finals series before the finish.
Game 2 is scheduled for Friday in San Antonio. The game featured several notable attendees, including former Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, Spurs legends David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Bruce Bowen, as well as Knicks great Patrick Ewing and celebrities such as Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan, Ben Stiller, Fat Joe, and Timothée Chalamet.
The Knicks led 14-7 early, but the Spurs answered with a 20-13 run to take a 10-point lead. The second quarter saw six lead changes before San Antonio went into halftime with a 55-48 advantage. The Spurs extended their lead to 14 midway through the third quarter before the Knicks closed the period on a 22-9 run to tie the game at 76 heading into the fourth.
New York led by eight midway through the final period, but Wembanyama made two free throws with 2:16 left to put San Antonio up 95-94. Brunson responded with a corner three-pointer on the next possession, giving the Knicks the lead for good. "I think we let that one go," Wembanyama said.
The Knicks are now three wins away from their first title in 53 years and have taken home-court advantage from the Spurs. "We have a long way to go," Brunson said.
