The San Antonio Spurs hosted the New York Knicks for Game 2 of the NBA Finals. New York took game one of the series 105-95. San Antonio looked to even the series heading into this matchup. The physicality and intensity would immediately start from the jump.
Devin Vassell got the scoring started with a top of the key three with the shot clock winding down. Jalen Brunson hit a stepback jumper the next possession. Julian Champagnie banked in a corner three then OG Anunoby responded with his own corner three. Dylan Harper drove to the basket for the slam that had the Spurs bench on their feet. Vassell threw a lob to De’Aaron Fox in transition to make it a double digit lead. The Spurs led 34-25 at the end of the first quarter.
Stephon Castle and Karl-Anthony Towns traded threes early in the second quarter. Towns scored the first nine points for the Knicks in the second. Mikal Bridges hit back to back threes to cut the deficit to two. Vassell hit a three over Brunson for the and one and completed the four point play. Towns hit a corner three with seconds winding down in the first half. He had 17 points in the first half. New York outscored the Spurs 31-18 and led 56-52 at halftime.
Early in the third quarter, Brunson drilled a pull three that forced a Spurs timeout and gave the Knicks a 10 point lead. Bridges and Landry Shamet made back to back threes. Castle made a three to cut the lead to five. Castle had a tough eurostep move against Brunson to force a Knicks timeout. Bridges threw a lob to Mitchell Robinson down the stretch of quarter. Victor Wembanyama had 12 points in the quarter. The Knicks led 84-75 at the end of the third quarter. Shamet and Wemby traded threes to begin the fourth quarter. San Antonio cut the lead to five and Shamet hit another three to force a Spurs timeout. Anunoby drove right at Wembanyama and threw it down right over him.
The Knicks were up 14 which was their largest lead of the game. The Spurs went on a 14-0 run to tie the game at 97 off the Harper layup. Anunoby got fouled on a three and made all three free throws. Fox threw a lob to Wembanyama to make it a one point game. Wembanyama ran the floor and got an and-one which gave the Spurs their first lead of the second half. Brunson hit a one legged hallway jumper to tie the game at 104. Wembanyama had a costly turnover as he threw the ball at the back of Castle who was not running ahead. Brunson stole it and Wembanyama fouled him. Brunson split his trip at the foul line to give the Knicks a one point lead. Wembanyama missed the jumper over Robinson and New York won 105-104.
The Knicks won their 13th straight playoff game and haven’t lost 43 days. 13 straight playoff wins is the 2nd longest playoff win streak in NBA history. It was also their 8th consecutive road playoff win.
Wembanyama led the way for the Spurs with 29 points and had 22 of his points in the second half. Castle and Vassell both had 14 points. Harper had 15 off the bench. For the Knicks, Towns led the way with 21 points and 13 rebounds for the double-double. Brunson and Bridges both had 20 points. Anunoby had 17 and Shamet had 13 off the bench.
New York leads the series 2-0. The Finals shift to Madison Square Garden for game three Monday, June 8th at 8:30 pm.
