SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The New York Knicks are now halfway to ending a 53-year championship drought after Jalen Brunson delivered in the clutch to lift the Knicks to a dramatic 105-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, giving New York a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Brunson sank the game-winning free throw with 9.5 seconds remaining as the Knicks escaped with their second straight road win and moved within two victories of securing the franchise’s first NBA title since 1973.
The win also extended New York’s remarkable postseason winning streak to 13 games and placed the Knicks in rare company. They became only the third team in NBA Finals history to win the first two games of the championship series on the road, joining the 1993 Chicago Bulls and the 1995 Houston Rockets — both of whom went on to capture the title.
New York leaned on balanced scoring throughout the contest, with Karl-Anthony Towns posting 21 points and 13 rebounds while Brunson and Mikal Bridges added 20 points apiece.
The Spurs appeared poised to even the series after rallying from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Victor Wembanyama, held in check for much of the first half, erupted after the break and finished with a game-high 29 points. De’Aaron Fox chipped in 20 points as San Antonio mounted a furious comeback.
Wembanyama gave the Spurs a 104-102 advantage with 57 seconds left after converting a three-point play, but Brunson answered on the next possession to tie the game.
After Wembanyama missed a jumper, OG Anunoby grabbed a crucial rebound for New York. Although San Antonio initially forced a stop, Wembanyama committed a costly turnover that handed possession back to the Knicks.
Brunson was fouled moments later and calmly converted the go-ahead free throw.
San Antonio had one final opportunity to steal the victory, but Wembanyama’s potential game-winning jumper missed the mark, allowing New York to escape with the one-point triumph.
The series now heads to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Monday night, marking New York’s first NBA Finals home game since 1999./PN
