Knicks edge Spurs to move 2-0 up in NBA Finals

NEW YORK: Jalen Brunson sank the decisive free throw as the New York Knicks survived a late San Antonio fightback to beat the Spurs 105-104 on Friday, taking a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

San Antonio had a chance to steal the game in the closing seconds, but Victor Wembanyama turned the ball over after collecting the rebound from a missed Brunson attempt with 9.5 seconds left. Brunson recovered possession after the bad pass hit teammate Stephon Castle, drew a foul and made the first of two free throws to restore New York’s lead. Wembanyama then missed a potential winner with two seconds remaining.

The Spurs now head to New York for games three and four needing to overturn a deficit no team has ever erased after losing the opening two Finals games at home. Michael Jordan’s 1993 Chicago Bulls and the 1995 Houston Rockets are the only other teams to win the first two games of the championship series on the road, and both went on to secure the title. The Knicks also registered their 13th consecutive playoff victory, the second-longest winning streak in postseason history, and can move closer to a first championship since 1973 in front of their home crowd at Madison Square Garden on Monday, where US President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend.

Spurs rally falls just short

New York appeared in control before San Antonio produced a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter to wipe out a 14-point gap. Wembanyama recovered from a quiet start and scored 22 of his 29 points in the second half. His three-point play with 57.3 seconds left put the Spurs ahead 104-102, their first lead since the second quarter.

After the game, Wembanyama took responsibility for the closing turnover.

"I threw that one away,"

the 22-year-old said.

I messed up. We didn't play great as a team. We needed to win that game.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Brunson and Mikal Bridges scored 20 points each. OG Anunoby added 17 and Landry Shamet contributed 13 points off the bench. For San Antonio, Wembanyama also had nine rebounds, four blocks and two steals, while De’Aaron Fox finished with 20 points.

Towns key at both ends

For the second game in a row, Towns was credited with helping make life difficult for Wembanyama defensively. He said New York had to work to limit the Spurs star’s influence, while also admitting there was relief when the final shot did not fall.

"A great player got a great shot, and it just didn't go in,"

Towns said.

"He's a once in a generation player,"

he added.

You got to make it difficult on him. So, just utilizing my experience, utilizing my size, my skill, and just trying to make it difficult for him.

San Antonio had started strongly, attacking the paint early and taking a 15-10 lead when Wembanyama scored on a left-handed dunk. Fox later converted an alley-oop layup from Devin Vassell to stretch the advantage to 10 late in the first quarter, and the Spurs led by as many as 12.

The Knicks responded in the second quarter and moved in front for the first time at 49-48 on Shamet’s layup with 3:39 left before halftime. Although San Antonio briefly regained the lead, Towns hit a three-pointer over Wembanyama to send New York into the break ahead 56-52. The Knicks extended that margin to 12 and carried an 84-75 lead into the fourth before withstanding the Spurs’ final surge.

Knicks coach Mike Brown praised his side’s resolve after a game that swung repeatedly in the closing stages.

"What a ballgame,"

Brown said.

It's a fantastic ballgame. They made a run. We made a run. They made a run. We made a run.

We could have folded a few times, but our guys just kept fighting.. no matter what run they went on, no matter what time of the game, our guys just kept uplifting one another.