Jalen Brunson scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, leading the New York Knicks to a 105-95 comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday in Texas, taking Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Karl-Anthony Towns posted 18 points and 12 rebounds as the Knicks extended their playoff winning streak to 12 games, matching the second-longest run in league history. New York closed the game on an 11-0 run, returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
OG Anunoby scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter for the Knicks, who committed no turnovers in the final period. San Antonio turned the ball over five times in the last 12 minutes, shooting just 28.6% (6-for-21) and were outscored 29-19.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, but made only 6 of 21 shots. Stephon Castle added 17 points and eight rebounds, Julian Champagnie had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Dylan Harper scored 16 off the bench.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in San Antonio.
Landry Shamet scored 13 off the bench, Josh Hart had 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals and three points for the Knicks. New York shot 41.5% from the field, including 11-for-36 from three. The Spurs shot 36% overall and 11-for-43 from deep.
Brunson scored eight straight points, including a layup with 6:08 left, giving the Knicks a 94-86 lead. Wembanyama countered with eight points in a 9-0 run, putting the Spurs ahead 95-94 with 2:16 remaining. San Antonio did not score again, and Brunson buried a corner three to push the Knicks back in front with 1:50 to go.
Mikal Bridges hit two free throws, Brunson added a jumper and Anunoby connected on four straight free throws to seal the win. Leading by seven at halftime, the Spurs scored 10 of the first 13 points of the third quarter, going ahead 65-51 on a Harper jumper. The Knicks answered with a 20-6 run and tied the game at 71 on a Brunson jumper late in the third.
Reserve center Mitchell Robinson (broken right pinkie finger) played 13 minutes, scoring two points and grabbing six rebounds for the Knicks. Champagnie had 15 points on five three-pointers, helping the Spurs take a 55-48 lead at the break. Brunson scored 11 in the first half despite banging his right knee in the first quarter and his left ankle in the second.
