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Knicks aren't in position to win Game 1 of NBA Finals without Karl-Anthony Towns

SAN ANTONIO - A few notes after the Knicks’ win over the Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals...

KAT-A-LYST

Victor Wembanyama didn’t leave the court on Wednesday with any overt concerns about himself or his team. 

“I'm not worried (in) the slightest,” he said after the Knicks’ come-from-behind win in Game 1. 

It almost sounded like Wembanyama was downplaying the impact of the Knicks' defense in Game 1. 

Karl-Anthony Towns and New York forced Wembanyama into tough shots all night, as he finished 6-for-21 with six turnovers. 

He shot just 2-for-12 when defended by Towns. 

But Wembanyama didn’t leave the arena worried about the Spurs’ chances in the series. 

“It's almost like I have to play normal, not even good. It's just like doing the right things is enough,” he said. “When we play bad, when I play bad, is when we shoot ourselves in the foot. This is why I'm not worried. We're going to be so much better. I'm going to be so much better.”

Towns got the better of Wembanyama on both ends of the floor in Game 1. 

He had 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and one block through three quarters. His play in the third quarter helped New York rebound from a double-digit deficit. Of course, Jalen Brunson took over from there, with 13 points in the final 7:30 of regulation to lift New York to an upset in Game 1. 

But the Knicks aren’t in position to win the game without Towns. 

“Honestly with KAT, I feel like when he’s locked in he’s not just doing the scoring, doing the assisting but he’s setting the pick (on the pick) and roll and he’s diving hard and then defensively he’s bringing a physical presence,” Miles McBride said after Game 1. 

“What he did for us was not just guard him at a high level but he kept him from getting those second chance opportunities which I think is something Wemby does phenomenal. I feel like that’s huge. Taking away a first shot is big but to take away that second one was big for us.”

JALEN DOES IT AGAIN 

Brunson was 7-for-22 through the first three quarters of Game 1, but as is usually the case, he was at his best in the fourth.

He scored eight unanswered points midway through the quarter and then hit a three-pointer off of his own tip rebound and a tough jump shot to help put the Spurs away. 

He did all of this after leaving the game for a long stretch due to an apparent leg injury. 

“He's a gamer, man. In the biggest moments, he shows up, and that's what MVPs are supposed to do,” Mike Brown said. “We put the ball in his hands and said we are going to live and die with him. And he got it done for us, and that's happened time after time after time. He got to his spots and he made plays."

MITCH BACK ON THE FLOOR

Less than 10 days after having surgery to repair a broken fifth metacarpal in his right hand, Mitchell Robinson was on the floor and impacting the game against San Antonio. 

He had six rebounds in 13 minutes and helped create quality shots for his teammates simply by being on the floor. 

“He was still a vertical threat,” Brown said of Robinson. “If you don't pull in to tag him, it's a dunk, and when he rolls like he rolls and creates that weak side to pull in, our guys have to spray the basketball. So it's one of the two: You throw it up, just kind of what have they do with Wembanyama. You throw it to Wembanyama or you throw it up to Mitch, and if the small pulls in and tags those guys, you've got to find the skip pass. And then defensively, I thought he was pretty good, defensively, as well, trying to rebound, keeping those guys off the glass.”

Robinson didn’t want to discuss what happened to his hand, which was not broken during a game or practice. It was a non-basketball injury. 

But Robinson said he was never concerned about possibly missing Game 1. 

“I’ve been here for eight years. There was no way I was going to miss this,” he said.  

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Knicks lead NBA Finals after late run beats Spurs

Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs
Towns, 30, was first overall pick in the 2015 draft [Getty Images]

The New York Knicks overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit to snatch a 105-95 victory at the San Antonio Spurs in the opening game of the NBA Finals.

Jalen Brunson scored 13 of his 30 points in the final quarter as the Knicks scored 11 points without reply to surge clear in the final two minutes.

With their 12th win in a row, the Knicks matched the second best all-time post-season streak set by the Spurs in 1999.

That was in the Knicks' most recent appearance in the best-of-seven Finals, when the Spurs beat them to the title.

It is the fourth time that the Knicks have gone on to win in the second half having trailed by 10 or more points in these play-offs. They overturned a 22-point deficit in the opener of Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Knicks are bidding to win their first Championship since 1973 and Karl-Anthony Towns said the fans have been inspiring their comebacks.

"It's something that's in the city, you feel that energy in the city," said Towns, who posted 18 points and 12 rebounds.

"The grit, the grind, the hard work you've got to put in to make it in the city.

"I think we reflect our fans and their lifestyles and what it takes to make it in New York City, when we step on that court with the Knicks jersey."

It was a quiet night for Victor Wembanyama. He was the top scorer for the Spurs but only scored six of his 21 shots from the field.

"We've been down in a series before - never in the Finals - but I'm not kicking myself about anything," said Wembenyama.

"I was bad, it's not more complicated than that. I'm not worried in the slightest."

The best-of-seven series continues in San Antonio on Friday before the teams head to Madison Square Garden for Game three on Monday.

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Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson battles through injury to make mark off bench in Game 1

For Mitchell Robinson, playing in the NBA Finals was never in doubt. 

“I’ve been here for eight years,” he told reporters postgame. “There was no way I was going to miss this.”

The longest-tenured Knick did find himself listed as questionable, though, after having to undergo surgery to repair a fractured fifth metacarpal in his right hand last week.

Robinson was expected to be able to get back out there with the team, and he ended up officially being cleared by the training staff after going through pregame warmups. 

It still hasn’t been revealed exactly how the injury occurred, but it proved to be no hinderance as he made his presence felt in the Knicks’ Game 1 victory. 

Robinson was able to chip in 13 strong minutes off the bench for Mike Brown.

His lone basket came midway through the second quarter, when he threw down a slam to complete an alley-oop feed from Jalen Brunson,helping New York chip away at a Spurs advantage. 

The big man missed the free-throw trying to cap off the three-point play. 

Robinson also missed his only other field goal attempt on the night, but was still able to make his mark elsewhere, finishing third on the team with six rebounds (five defensive, one offensive). 

He also held up well in a defensive matchup with Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama, including a couple of possessions while the game was tight in the fourth quarter. 

Overall, it was the type of effort Brown and the Knicks were hoping for. 

“He was still a vertical threat,” the head coach said. “And I thought he was good defensively, as well.”

Even if he isn’t at full strength, the seven-footer could be huge for New York as they look to slow down Wembanyama as this series progresses. 

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Knicks take 1-0 lead into game 2 against the Spurs

New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference)

San Antonio; Friday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Spurs -5.5; over/under is 214.5

NBA FINALS: Knicks lead series 1-0

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks visit the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 105-95 on Thursday, led by 30 points from Jalen Brunson. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 26.

The Spurs have gone 32-8 at home. San Antonio is second in the Western Conference scoring 119.8 points while shooting 48.3% from the field.

The Knicks are 23-19 on the road. New York has a 23-23 record against teams over .500.

The Spurs' 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.3 fewer made shots on average than the 13.9 per game the Knicks allow. The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field, 2.7% higher than the 45.1% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Wembanyama is scoring 25.0 points per game with 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Spurs. Stephon Castle is averaging 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 51.2% over the last 10 games.

Brunson is averaging 26 points and 6.8 assists for the Knicks. Mikal Bridges is averaging 17.7 points, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 6-4, averaging 114.9 points, 49.2 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 8.0 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.4 points per game.

Knicks: 10-0, averaging 121.7 points, 45.1 rebounds, 28.2 assists, 9.7 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 52.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 99.0 points.

INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).

Knicks: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Legend of Jalen Brunson grows as he takes over in fourth, lifts Knicks to first Finals win in 27 years

SAN ANTONIO — This is how legends are made.

In the first quarter, Jalen Brunson pulled himself out of the game and limped back to the locker room. Spurs wing Harrison Barnes fell into his knee after a collision with Landry Shamet, and while Brunson tried to stay in the game, he was clearly dealing with something. New York was down 10 when he hobbled off the court and it felt like things could go sideways for New York.

Instead, Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be remembered as the game where the legend of Jalen Brunson grew to almost mythical status.

"He's a gamer, man," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "In the biggest moments, he shows up, and that's what MVPs are supposed to do. We put the ball in his hands and said we are going to live and die with him. And he got it done for us, and that's happened time after time after time."

Brunson returned to the court in the second quarter — and stayed in the game after Luke Kornet stepped on his ankle — then took over with 13 points in the fourth quarter, including some epic plays.

"With the ball in his hands, I'm never surprised," Karl-Anthony Towns said of Brunson. "I tell you, that last shot, I think it was a shoot floater, that was nasty. I ain't going to lie. "

"I think it starts with my confidence. It comes with my work ethic," Brunson said of his career of making clutch plays. "I think most importantly, knowing we're on the road, and knowing my teammates have my back, I think that's the biggest thing in an environment like this. The trust they have in me and the trust I have in them, it's got us to this point."

They put their trust in the right place.

Team win for New York

Those teammates gave Brunson plenty of help.

That started with Karl-Anthony Towns — his play in the first three quarters kept this game close for the Knicks. He finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, but that doesn't tell the real story — he stood toe-to-toe with Wemby and held his own on both ends of the court.

In more than eight minutes of game time with KAT as the primary defender, Wembanyama shot 2-of-10 from the floor (based on NBA tracking stats). Towns also went at Wembanyama on the offensive end.

"I try to be aggressive in playmaking," Towns said, as he again served as a hub of the Knicks' offense for much of the night. "Early in the game, you never know what the defense is going to give you. You don't know what is going to unfold but I just wanted to be aggressive, especially early in the game, Game 1 in the NBA Finals, and trying to bring that energy for our team."

Then there was OG Anunoby, who has a championship ring from his time with the Raptors and showed that experience with 12 points in the fourth quarter, including a clutch 3-pointer over Wembanyama.

It was a night when the healthy number of Knicks fans in the building grew louder and louder late, as New York went on an 11-0 run to close out the game — this Knicks team is their team. The Knicks players feed off that, especially in their comebacks. The Knicks came back from 22 down in the fourth quarter to beat the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and they came from 14 down in the third quarter against the 62-win Spurs.

"It's something in the city. You feel that energy in the city, the grit, the grind, the hard work you've got to put in to make it in the city," Towns said of where the team's comeback energy comes from. "I think we reflect all our fans and lifestyles and what it takes to make it in New York City when we step on the court with a Knicks jersey."

Those fans will be back in Game 2, and the Spurs are going to have to find a way not just to grab the lead but also hold on to it, something no team has done for a dozen games.

Bottom line: San Antonio has to find a way to keep the legend of Jalen Brunson from growing any larger.

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Victor Wembanyama, Spurs discuss Jalen Brunson's takeover in Game 1: 'He's an elite player'

Game 1 between the Knicks and Spurs lived up to its billing with starts Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama giving their respective teams late leads in the fourth quarter.

But it was Brunson's heroics and clutch play that allowed New York to come away with the first win of the 2026 NBA Finals. 

Brunson scored a game-high 30 points on 12 of 31 shooting with three rebounds and two assists, but his performance in the fourth quarter will go down in Knicks history. The Knicks captain scored 13 points on 5 of 9 shooting, leading New York's 11-0 run to end the game. 

While the Knicks fans in attendance in San Antonio and those watching at home were in awe, the Spurs were not surprised by Brunson's efforts. 

"He’s a tremendous player that’s skilled, picks his spots, knows his angles. Shoots contested shots without being sped up," Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said of Brunson after the game. "He’s a phenomenal player and we just have to keep making him work.

"He had a phenomenal game. He got going and got a few in a row, but 30 points on 31 shots, is something you probably want to keep making him work for those points. Probably some of the other stuff that we can control, instead of him making or missing shots."

Wembanyama, the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, was asked how the team can defend Brunson better moving forward. The Spurs big man didn't have an answer, but knew they have time to come up with a gameplan.

“He’s an elite player and we don’t have many more chances," Wembanyama said. "It’s a first-to-four series. So we’re going to have time to work on it.”

A common talking point before the NBA Finals started was whether the Spurs would be fatigued after a grueling seven-game series with the Thunder. On the opposite end, the Knicks, after sweeping the Cavaliers in the ECF, were off for more than a week.

The fourth quarter saw the Spurs turn the ball over five times -- the Knicks had zero turnovers in the final frame -- and Wembanyama, in particular, looked winded at points, but San Antonio downplayed that narrative. Instead, they pointed to their own execution.

"I don't think it was fatigue. I'm sure guys got tired at times," Johnson said. "I don't think anyone's performance was based on fatigue, I think we just need to be sharper and execute better. And continue to work the game and not fight it at times and play the right way."

"I feel both teams were fatigued, really," Dylan Harper said. "I just feel like they executed better." 

Wembanyama scored a team-high 26 points -- 11 coming in the fourth -- and Harper had 16 off the bench, but it wasn't enough to stop the Knicks and Brunson from stealing home court advantage on Wednesday night. 

But this youthful Spurs team is gaining experience by the day, and they are confident they can bounce back in Game 2. 

“We’re confident but also have a chip on our shoulder from this game we just lost," Harper said. "You never want to lose and going into this next game, we’re going to be even more hungrier and keep on proving.”

“We’ve been down in a series before," Wembanyama said. "I’m not kicking myself about anything, really. I’m not worried in the slightest.” 

Game 2 takes place Friday night.

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Knicks fans turn NYC into street party after Game 1 Finals win over Spurs

The New York Knicks provided their fans with something to cheer about after taking Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals from the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, April 3.

The Knicks beat the Spurs 105-95 and extended their postseason win streak to 12 consecutive games. It's a franchise record.

The first two games of the series will take place in San Antonio, but that didn't stop Knicks fans from having a watch party, taking in the game at Madison Square Garden.

Knicks star Jalen Brunson scored 19 of his 30 points in the second half and helped the Knicks outscore the Spurs 11-0 in the final 2:15 of the game.

With the Knicks taking the 1-0 lead in the series, New York is now three wins away from securing its first NBA championship in 53 years.

Here's how fans celebrated the victory on Wednesday:

Knicks fans crowd New York streets after Game 1

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks fans ignite New York City after Game 1 Finals win

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Karl-Anthony Towns credits late mother for sense of 'calm' in NBA Finals debut

Karl-Anthony Towns had some extra inspiration behind his stellar performance that helped lead the New York Knicks to a comeback win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

After Towns scored 18 points with 12 rebounds on Wednesday night, he said he felt the presence of his late mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, who died in 2020.

In an interview on ESPN's "Inside the NBA" studio show, Kenny Smith asked Towns what it felt like to play in his first NBA Finals.

"I don't know what it was, but I just felt a calm and a peace that had to be coming from the woman above," Towns said. "I felt really confident about today, I felt good. I felt like a kid. It was just fun out here. This is something that as a kid, you always dream about. You always just hope to be an NBA player, let alone to be in the NBA Finals. All day, it was just a weird feeling. It felt like I was a kid getting ready to go play in my Saturday AAU games."

He continued, "And in a way, I felt like I was seeing her in the stands. It was fun. And it was really comforting because Game 1 of the NBA Finals, you're told how the pressure's gonna be and everything is. I don't know. It felt like a certain presence was here that was very comforting and very loving."

Who was Karl-Anthony Towns' mom?

Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, better known as Jackie, died in April 2020 of complications resulting from COVID-19. She was 59.

Shortly after her death, Towns posted an emotional YouTube video detailing his mom's monthlong battle with the virus, which had her placed on a ventilator and in a medically induced coma.

Towns had a close bond with his mom, who he described as his biggest supporter throughout his basketball career. He's continued to speak openly about his grief in the years since and has become an advocate for mental health.

Towns' comments after Game 1 of the Finals are further evidence that Cruz-Towns is never far from his mind.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karl-Anthony Towns honors late mother in NBA Finals debut

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Knicks’ Jalen Brunson shakes off slow start, injury scares to play hero in NBA Finals Game 1 win

They call him captain clutch for a reason. 

Jalen Brunson has stepped up and delivered for the Knicks whenever they’ve needed him over the years, and that was again the case in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. 

The three-time All-Star point guard overcame a quiet start and a couple of injury scares to push New York past the Spurs with one of his signature scoring barrages down the stretch. 

“He was huge for us,” Mike Brown said. “He did what MVP candidates are supposed to do -- we just put the ball in his hands and he got the job done for us.”

Brunson recorded just three first quarter points, missing his next six shots and turning the ball over twice after drilling a three for the first bucket of the game. 

He was then forced to the locker room after appearing to injure his right knee when San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes fell on him late in the quarter. 

The guard limped to the bench before heading back to the locker room. 

Brunson was able to return minutes into the second but then had another scare, as he limped to the bench again after appearing to injure his ankle after he was stepped on by Luke Kornet. 

He showed no ill effects after a timeout, though, getting going with three straight buckets.

“You never know what the extent of an injury is,” Josh Hart said. “I knew once he got back in, he would get some blood flowing and I wasn’t worried about it.”

“He’s just tough,” Mikal Bridges added. “That’s really it, nothing else.”

Brunson had just six points in the third quarter but then found his rhythm once again, coming off the bench in a back-and-forth tie game just five minutes into the fourth. 

He immediately pushed the Knicks back in front with a personal 8-0 run. 

The Spurs responded right back with Victor Wembanyama leading the way, but Brunson counterpunched with one last splurge to put New York’s 12th straight win away. 

The former Clutch Player of the Year went 5-for-9 from the field in the frame, scoring 13 of his game-high 30 points to help steal the Game 1 victory on the road. 

“He’s our captain for a reason,” Landry Shamet said. “He’s not afraid of the moment.”

“That’s what MVPs are supposed to do,” Brown added. “We put the ball in his hands, we said we were going to live and die with him, and he just went and got it done for us.”

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Knicks 105, Spurs 95: Scenes from Josh Hart powering the Game 1 win

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 03: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs defends against Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 03, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In December’s Emirates Cup Final, New York fell behind by 11 to the Spurs before rallying to win the fourth quarter 35-19 and steal the victory.

Tonight in Game One of the NBA Finals, the Knicks were considered the underdogs. All the talk was about the Spurs—how they’re the second youngest team to play in the Finals (after the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers); how they came in with a 6-0 record in Finals Game Ones; how you can’t spell VICTORY with “Victor.” The one-sidedness of it all was obnoxious.

Well, guess what? The Knickerbockers heard none of that noise. They arrived with two streaks on the line: 53 games without a championship, and an 11-game win streak. Through the first six minutes, they were rolling, but then the shots stopped falling and gradually the Spurs racked up a 14-point lead in the third quarter. And just like in the Cup Final, New York rallied in the fourth frame, limited the Spurs to 19 points, and took the win, 105-95.

Jalen Brunson drew first blood with a triple, Victor Wembanyama answered with a long two, and they were off to the races. We knew the sweat-mop crew would be busy tonight. The Knicks started at the same pace that made Cleveland so dizzy, and San Antonio struggled to keep up and keep their composure. While the home team missed eight of their first 11 shots, the visitors converted half of theirs and seized a seven-point lead. Inside, Wemby played difficult defense, as usual, but Karl-Anthony Towns was unafraid to drive against him.

Meanwhile, Josh Hart was a rebounding machine, hauling in five over his first six minutes. By the end of the game, Josh would have three points on 1-of-5 shooting. Which looks bad. But run your eye across the statline and let the truth reveal itself: 14 rebounds, six assists, four steals, a block, and a team-high +22 in his 27 minutes. His relentless energy rescued this game from the loss column.

After a hot start, the Knicks’ shooting cooled, and too many one-and-dones allowed the Spurs to chip away. Dylan Harper, San Antonio’s terrific rookie, picked off a Brunson pass and scored five straight points, and the Spurs went on a 20-3 run while Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Deuce McBride covered for Towns, Hart, and Bridges.

Around the two-minute mark, Harrison Barnes rolled into Brunson’s knee. Cap briefly turned to the bench, looking like he might exit. He didn’t—and Harper hunted him for his 10th point of the game. When coach Mike Brown called a timeout, Jalen retreated to the locker room. That capped a rough quarter for the captain, who had his jersey pulled and was mauled (without a whistle) time and again. Thankfully, due to a brief burst at the end, New York cut its deficit at quarter’s end to 27-19.

In the second period, the Knicks crept back and pushed their way ahead, especially when Wemby sat.

At the eight-minute mark, Brunson returned and New York reduced the differential to one. Two minutes later, Luke Kornet stomped on his ankle, and back to the bench he limped. He raged at Scott “The Extender” Foster as he went. With four-ish minutes on the clock, it was a Brunson floater in traffic (capping eight straight points) that gave them the lead again.

The score see-sawed from there. Bridges and Harper traded two-pointers, and Shamet and Keldon Johnson swapped treys. Jose Alvarado saw more floor time with Brunson needing rest, and he scored seven points in as many minutes, plus grabbed four boards and a steal. Good stuff, Jose! A fellow Brooklyn boy, he talked quite a bit of trash with Julian Champagnie, who had 15 points in the half on 5-of-6 shooting from deep.

The score was tight until Fox stole from Brunson for a pick-six and Champagnie swished from deep. Unable to close the quarter strong, New York went into halftime on the wrong side of 55-48.

The Knicks were fortunate the game was that close, frankly. Despite slightly better shooting and dominating the paint (26-18), they gave away too many easy points. The Spurs made more threes (+3), attempted more free throws (+9), committed fewer turnovers (five to New York’s eight), and owned a 14-2 edge in fast-break points. Turns out, the Spurs are more fleet-footed than Cleveland. Champagnie led all scorers with 15 points, and Brunson had 11 for New York.

Both teams played solid defense, but more crappy shooting by New York (Brunson was 5-of-16 and counting, Towns was 3-of-9) allowed the Spurs to start on an 8-2 run. We’d start to panic if tonight’s lead tracker didn’t so closely resemble the NBA Cup game’s. (Okay, with so many shots rimming out and so few fouls being called, we’ll admit to a slight twinge of nervousness.)

Little was going right. Mikal Bridges, who had made all 19 of his free throws in the playoffs, missed from the line. Wemby subbed out, and New York cooked up eight unanswered points, cutting the gap to six. Through seven-ish minutes in the quarter, they shot 1-of-9 with Wemby on the floor; while he sat, they made all four shots. One clear advantage was Towns. The home team had no answer for him with Victor out. Thanks to a KAT putback plus a foul, our heroes were close to tying the score—and they did after a Wemby offensive foul led to Brunson magic at the other end.

Frost Bank Center shook with chants of MVP! when Brunson stepped to the charity stripe, and the adage holds true: Wherever you go, you’ll find Knicks fans. The French delight slammed an authoritative dunk late, but McBride swished his second bomb of the game as the quarter wound down to knot the score at 76.

Early in the fourth, my friend observed that Wemby had shot the same number of free throws as the entire Knicks team (10). Weird, no? Anyway, Anunoby was inconsistent through three quarters but scored eight points to give the good guys a brief four-point advantage. The Spurs weren’t folding up yet, though. Devin Vassell laid out Shamet under the rim (no call) and tipped in a layup to tie the score again with seven-plus minutes left.

Out of a timeout, the Knicks scored eight unanswered, all by Brunson. KAT was on the bench during that stretch, with Robinson fighting hard with Wemby for position in the paint. Following a couple of Knicks misses, Victor swished a three-pointer around the five-minute mark, and Brown decided it was time to reintroduce Towns to this fracas. While New York missed four shots in a row, Wemby shot a mess of free throws to regain a one-point lead heading into the final two minutes.

More Hart rebounds—he’s at 14 and counting by this point—kept the ball alive. It swung to Brunson, who swished from the corner, and two Bridges free throws made it 99-95. With under a minute left, Josh stripped Wemby around the three-point line, resulting in a dagger jumper by Jalen. 101-95.

Victor missed from 27 feet, and Fox fouled Anunoby, who added two more points. 103-95. With 21 seconds left, Fox lost the ball out of bounds. That, plus two more freebies for OG, was the final nail in the coffin.

Brunson closed the books with 30 points, shooting 12-of-31 and 2-0f-9 from deep. He was clobbered all night, yet shot just four free throws and came up big when the Knicks needed him most. Captain Clutch, indeed.

Up Next

Professor Miranda is typing up his recap for you. Meanwhile, the Knicks hang around San Antonio to play Game Two on Friday. Rest up, Knickerbockers.

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