The New York Knicks moved 2-0 ahead in the NBA Finals after edging the San Antonio Spurs 105-104 in Game 2, leaving Victor Wembanyama accepting responsibility for the defeat as the series now shifts to New York with the Spurs facing early pressure.
The closing moments at Frost Bank Center were tense, with the score tied at 104-104 and 12.7 seconds remaining when Wembanyama attempted a pass to Stephon Castle, misfired, then fouled Jalen Brunson while trying to recover, before missing a potential winning 20-foot jumper on the final possession.
Despite those late errors, Wembanyama still produced 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocks for San Antonio, yet Brunson’s deciding free throw meant New York became just the third side to take a 2-0 NBA Finals lead with two road wins, matching the 1993 Chicago Bulls and 1995 Houston Rockets, who both later secured championships.
New York’s victory also extended a dominant playoff surge, with the Knicks now riding a 13-game winning streak in this postseason, the second-longest single-campaign run in league history, trailing only the 2017 Golden State Warriors, who opened their title march with 15 straight wins.
Key contributions supported Brunson, who finished with 20 points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points, 13 boards and four assists, and Mikal Bridges matched Brunson’s scoring with 20 points plus six rebounds and six assists as New York again spread production across the rotation.
Knicks coach Mike Brown felt the group’s current poise came from months of work together and highlighted how regular-season challenges shaped this playoff run, stressing that familiar roles for Brunson, Towns, OG Anunoby, Bridges and others prepared them for tense finishes like Game 2.
“We finally got to a point where he was comfortable, I was comfortable, Jalen was comfortable, OG [Anunoby] was comfortable, Mikal was comfortable. And to me, that’s what the regular season’s about,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “The regular season is about finding your way so you can get prepared for this time of the year. And there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs. And I hope there’s adversity. I hope like hell there’s adversity. Because we have to see if we’re strong enough when it comes to being connected to see if we can get through it during the regular season. So, when we get here, anything we run into, we’ve already conquered during the regular season. We’ll know how to handle it.”
That mindset has been visible during New York’s long surge, as the Knicks have handled multiple tight finishes and momentum swings during this playoff stretch, including Friday’s game in which both teams held leads at various stages before New York again executed better in the final seconds.
After the loss, Wembanyama was clear that the final possessions weighed heavily, suggesting that San Antonio’s broader problem across the series has been poor late-game management and slow starts that leave the Spurs chasing, rather than controlling, the rhythm against the Knicks.
“That’s the most frustrating thing: to throw it away after putting in all this work,” Wembanyama said. “I threw that one away. I messed up. It’s like the body reacts quicker than the mind. We needed to win that game. This game was ours. But at this point, it’s done. Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and fuel us to the next game? Absolutely. That’s the whole problem. I need to have more poise, more control of the game. I’m not going to go through the whole [three] possessions, but that’s the general image. We need to put ourselves in better conditions. We’re digging ourselves a hole. That’s been the theme so far.”
San Antonio now trails 2-0 with the series heading to New York, needing to adjust execution, reduce self-inflicted mistakes and rediscover composure under pressure if the Spurs want to overturn the deficit, extend the NBA Finals and prevent the Knicks from turning their historic winning streak into a championship.