The New York KnicksTeam·New York Knicks have seized a pivotal 2-0 lead in the 2026 NBA FinalsCompetition·NBA Finals, defeating the San Antonio SpursTeam·San Antonio Spurs 105-104 in a tightly contested Game 2 on Friday, June 5th. The victory, secured by a clutch free throw from Jalen BrunsonPlayer·Jalen Brunson in the final seconds, extends the Knicks' remarkable postseason winning streak to 13 consecutive games.
The decisive moment arrived with 9.5 seconds remaining when Jalen BrunsonPlayer·Jalen Brunson, despite an uncharacteristic 7-for-25 shooting night, calmly sank the go-ahead free throw. The Spurs had a final opportunity to reclaim the lead, but a late turnover by Victor WembanyamaPlayer·Victor Wembanyama and a subsequent narrowly missed two-point attempt at the buzzer sealed their fate.
New York's triumph at the Frost Bank CenterVenue·Frost Bank Center in San Antonio was a testament to their resilience. After trailing 34-25 at the end of the first quarter, the Knicks rallied to take a 56-52 lead by halftime. Karl-Anthony TownsPlayer·Karl-Anthony Towns was instrumental in the comeback, leading the Knicks with 25 points on an efficient 8-for-12 shooting, delivering crucial baskets throughout the game.
For the Western Conference champion Spurs, Victor WembanyamaPlayer·Victor Wembanyama delivered a strong performance, tallying 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds in 40 minutes of play. However, his late turnover proved costly in the razor-thin contest.
Following Game 1, Victor WembanyamaPlayer·Victor Wembanyama had emphasized the Spurs' need for a mental reset. "The reason we lost the game isn't technical. We need to approach the game with a better mental state. We need to play our game, we need to be normal. We don't need to do anything incredible," Wembanyama stated. He further elaborated, "Normal means trusting each other, trusting the basketball gods, trusting the game plan, executing. Not relying on talent so much to make shots or to save the day."
The Knicks, who finished the regular season with a 53-29 record, reached the Finals by sweeping the Cleveland CavaliersTeam·Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Spurs, with a regular-season record of 62-20, advanced after a hard-fought seven-game series against the defending champion Oklahoma City ThunderTeam·Oklahoma City Thunder.
With the series now shifting to Madison Square Garden for Game 3, the pressure intensifies significantly on San Antonio. Historically, no team has ever lifted the Larry O'Brien trophy after dropping the first two games of the NBA FinalsCompetition·NBA Finals on their home court. The Knicks are now just two victories away from securing their first NBA championship in over half a century, placing them in a commanding position as the series moves to New York.
Fans at NBA House in Sao Paulo watch Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs. TheNews2/IMAGO
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