Knicks and Spurs battle for control in NBA Finals Game 2
De’Aaron Fox’s late 3-pointer cut New York’s lead to 97-88, but San Antonio still had to answer after dropping Game 1 at home.
De’Aaron Fox’s step-back 3-pointer trimmed the Knicks’ lead to 97-88 with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter, a late push that underscored how tightly Game 2 had become a battle of adjustments at Frost Bank Center. With the Spurs trying to avoid a 2-0 hole and New York protecting a one-game edge, the contest tipped at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC with San Antonio listed as a 6.5-point favorite at home.
The pressure on both sides came straight from Game 1, when the Knicks opened the Finals by beating the Spurs 105-95 after erasing a 14-point second-half deficit. Jalen Brunson carried New York with 30 points, 13 of them in the fourth quarter, while the Knicks finished on an 11-0 run to steal home-court advantage. Victor Wembanyama briefly swung the first game back San Antonio’s way, rallying the Spurs in the huddle with just over five minutes left and helping spark a 14-0 burst, but New York closed stronger and left the Spurs chasing from behind.
That backdrop made Game 2 as much about mentality as tactics. After a night to review the film with coach Mitch Johnson, Wembanyama said the Spurs needed to “play our game,” a succinct message that reflected a team trying to stabilize itself after letting Game 1 slip away. The Spurs entered the night knowing the next two games would move to New York, where the Knicks were already positioned to turn their opener into a series-defining road break.
The stakes extended beyond the floor. Game 1 drew 16.93 million viewers on ABC, making it the most-watched Finals opener since 2018, a reminder that this matchup had immediately captured national attention. New York’s game notes also carried their own sense of occasion, pointing back to June 5, 1994, when the Knicks beat Indiana in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1973.
Game 2 revealed how narrow the margin remained. Fox gave San Antonio a late lift, Wembanyama had already shown how quickly the Spurs could generate a run, and Brunson had proven New York could close under pressure. The Finals had become a test of which team could win the next adjustment, not just the next possession.
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