Jalen Brunson sank the decisive free throw, lifting the New York Knicks past the San Antonio Spurs 105-104 in a tense game at the Frost Bank Center. The win gives the Knicks a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals, putting the Spurs on the brink with the series shifting to New York.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama committed a critical turnover late in the game and missed the final shot with two seconds left. This marked the Spurs' second consecutive home loss, leaving them facing a historic uphill climb to win the title. No team has ever recovered from a 0-2 deficit in the NBA Finals after losing the first two games at home.
The Knicks extended their playoff winning streak to 13 games, the second-longest in postseason history. They will have a chance to clinch the series at Madison Square Garden, where U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend on Monday.
The Spurs mounted an impressive fourth-quarter comeback, erasing a 14-point deficit and taking a 104-102 lead on a three-pointer by Wembanyama. However, Brunson capitalized on a Spurs mistake to score the go-ahead points.
Wembanyama, who scored 22 of his 29 points in the second half, admitted: 'I squandered the opportunity. We didn't play well as a team. We needed to win that game.'
Karl-Anthony Towns, who led the Knicks with 21 points and 13 rebounds, said: 'A great player took a great shot, and it didn't go in.'
'What a great game,' Knicks coach Mike Brown said. 'We could have folded several times, but the guys just kept fighting... no matter how they came back, no matter what time it was, the guys kept encouraging each other.'
