Jalen Brunson stole the ball and converted the go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds left, moving the New York Knicks halfway to their first NBA title since 1973 after a 105-104 victory over the host San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, June 6 (Philippine time).
San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama missed a 20-foot shot before time expired as New York jumped to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals. The Knicks claimed their 13th straight postseason victory, passing the 1999 Spurs for the second-longest such streak in NBA history.
Brunson, who scored 20 points, picked up his fifth steal when Wembanyama threw the ball off the back of teammate Stephon Castle, who was in the backcourt heading toward the midcourt line. Brunson was fouled and split two free throws to give New York a one-point lead.
Karl-Anthony Towns produced 21 points and 13 rebounds and Mikal Bridges scored 20 as the Knicks racked up their eighth consecutive road victory. OG Anunoby added 17 points, and Landry Shamet scored 13 for New York, which squandered a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter before recovering.
Wembanyama totaled 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots while De’Aaron Fox scored 20 points for the Spurs. Dylan Harper tallied 15 off the bench while Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell had 14 points apiece.
Wembanyama’s three-point play with 57.3 seconds left gave the Spurs a 104-102 edge, their first lead of the second half. Brunson answered with a jumper to tie it with 39.3 seconds remaining.
The Spurs trailed by 14 midway through the fourth quarter before going on a 14-0 run to knot the score at 97.
Fox had five straight points during the burst and Devin Vassell buried a straightaway three-pointer to bring San Antonio within two. Harper then got the roll on a short jumper to tie the game with 2:59 remaining.
New York led 84-75 entering the final stanza and the margin was soon 12 after Shamet sank a three-pointer. The Spurs answered with seven straight points to move within 87-82 before Shamet buried a trey to start a 10-1 run.
Brunson added a driving basket, Miles “Deuce” McBride canned a wide-open three-pointer and Anunoby slammed home a dunk against Wembanyama’s defense to give the Knicks a 97-83 advantage with 6:04 left.
Towns had 17 points and seven rebounds in the first half as the Knicks led 56-52 at the break. Fox scored 12 in the half for San Antonio. After the Spurs were on top by as much as 12, the Knicks led for the first time on Shamet’s basket for a 49-48 lead with 3:39 left in the second quarter. (Field Level Media / Reuters)