The New York Knicks inched past the San Antonio Spurs 105–104 on Sunday, grabbing a 2–0 stranglehold in the NBA Finals and moving within two wins of ending a 53-year championship drought.
With 9.5 seconds left and the game tied, Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama tried to fire a pass to teammate Stephon Castle but instead drilled the ball off Castle’s back. Knicks guard Jalen Brunson pounced on the loose ball, and Wembanyama quickly fouled him in a desperate attempt to stop the break. Brunson calmly sank the go-ahead free throw, putting New York ahead by one.
San Antonio still had a final chance. Wembanyama, who had erupted for 22 of his points after halftime, hoisted a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer, but the shot clanked off the rim — sealing the Knicks’ 13th consecutive playoff victory.
New York, appearing in the Finals for the first time since 1999, became just the third team in NBA history to win the opening two games of a championship series on the road. The 1993 Chicago Bulls and 1995 Houston Rockets both accomplished the feat and went on to capture the title.
Wembanyama struggled in the first half but powered a furious Spurs comeback after the break, scoring 22 second-half points. San Antonio ripped off 14 straight points in the fourth quarter to erase a double-digit deficit and tie the game in the frantic final seconds — before the rookie’s costly turnover and missed last shot handed the Knicks a commanding series lead.
