The New York Knicks came back from 14 points down to win Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals 105-95, and on Friday night they return to Frost Bank Center looking to go 2-0 in the series. San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks in Game 2. Tip-off at 8:30pm ET.
The Knicks are on a 12-game playoff winning streak and are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. They last won a title in 1973. The Spurs finished the regular season 62-20, second in the Western Conference, and beat the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference final to reach this stage.
The Game 1 story
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 12 rebounds as New York overturned a double-figure deficit. Victor Wembanyama had 26 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio but shot 6-for-21 from the field. The Knicks’ defence compressed the paint, and Wembanyama spent much of the night looking for shots that never came cleanly.
That is the challenge Gregg Popovich’s side now faces: how do you get your best player better looks when New York commit so fully to protecting the rim?
Brunson had an ankle scare during the game but returned and finished. His fitness going into Game 2 will be worth monitoring, though both sides confirmed no significant injuries on the injury report heading into tonight.
The Spurs’ case
San Antonio won 62 games in the regular season. They are not here by accident. The Spurs took down Oklahoma City in seven games in the West — the same defending champions who had won the title the year before. They know how to handle adversity and how to win big games.
Wembanyama is not a player who shoots 6-for-21 twice in a row. His 26 points came despite the shooting struggles — the talent is not in question, only the shot quality. Dylan Harper, the second-year guard who did not finish Game 1, will want to establish himself in this series.
Frost Bank Center gives San Antonio a home crowd that will be very loud for the first home game in these Finals.
The Knicks’ edge
New York have won 12 straight playoff games. The Knicks finished the regular season 53-29, third in the Eastern Conference, before sweeping both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs. Brunson at his peak, KAT as a second weapon, and OG Anunoby’s 17 points in Game 1 show depth that San Antonio will need to account for across multiple matchups.
A 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals is very difficult to come back from. The Spurs cannot afford another slow start.
The 1999 echo
The last time the Knicks and Spurs met in the Finals was 1999. San Antonio won in five games. The Spurs will know that number. New York will want to change what it means.
Outlook
Both teams are healthy heading into Game 2. The Spurs have home court and a 62-win season that says they have the quality to level this series. The Knicks have momentum and Brunson playing the best basketball of his career.
A 2-0 series lead would change the shape of this Finals considerably. San Antonio’s night starts here.
Information sourced from official NBA and team publications and other publicly available stats pages where noted. Data correct at time of writing.
No comment