New York erased a 14-point second-half deficit on Wednesday to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, with Jalen Brunson’s late corner three-pointer proving the turning point in a tightly contested affair.
With the Knicks trailing 95-94 and 2:16 left on the clock, Victor Wembanyama had just converted two free throws to put San Antonio in front. Brunson responded immediately, draining a corner three to hand New York the lead they would not relinquish. The Knicks then closed out the contest on an emphatic 11-0 run to seal the result.
Brunson finished with 30 points to lead all scorers, while Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. OG Anunoby chipped in 17 points as the Knicks demonstrated the resilience that has characterised their entire playoff campaign.
The win carries significant historical weight. San Antonio had been unbeaten in six previous NBA Finals series openers, making this the first time any team has defeated the Spurs in a Game 1 at the Finals. The Spurs’ previous Finals appearances — in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014 — all began with victories, underlining how remarkable the Knicks’ achievement is.
For Wembanyama, the occasion marked his NBA Finals debut, and the French centre was candid in his assessment of his own performance. Despite recording 26 points and 12 rebounds, the 2023 first overall pick shot just 6 of 21 from the field. “I was bad tonight,” he said afterwards. “It’s not more complicated than that.”
Wembanyama’s shooting struggles will be a focal point heading into the rest of the series. The 20-year-old has been one of the most dominant players in the league this season and through the playoffs, and San Antonio will be counting on a sharp improvement as the series progresses. His ability to bounce back will be central to the Spurs’ chances of reclaiming the advantage.
The Knicks, meanwhile, will draw confidence from the manner of the victory. Coming back from double-digit deficits in high-stakes playoff games is a marker of mental fortitude, and New York’s ability to do so on the road — with San Antonio playing in front of their legends and a vociferous home crowd — adds further weight to the performance.
For the Knicks, this represents a landmark moment in what has been a historic postseason run. New York last won the NBA Championship in 1973, and a franchise that has endured decades of near-misses and rebuilding phases is now one series win away from ending that drought.
San Antonio will have the opportunity to level the series when the two sides meet again in Game 2 on Friday night. The Spurs, who have been one of the most compelling stories of the 2025-26 NBA season largely due to Wembanyama’s extraordinary development, will need a more efficient outing from their franchise cornerstone if they are to avoid falling into an early series deficit.
