San Antonio led 95-94 with just over two minutes left in Game 1. The Spurs did not score again, and New York closed on an 11-0 run that turned a one-point deficit into a 105-95 road win.
How the Knicks closed it
The run was built on defense as much as shotmaking. Josh Hart’s steals bookended it: his first steal of the fourth quarter set up a Brunson layup that put New York ahead 92-86 with 6:34 left, and his final steal led to the clinching jumper. In between, Brunson answered a Wembanyama free throw with a corner three to take the lead for good, then sealed it with a 15-foot jumper with 38 seconds remaining. New York forced 13 Spurs turnovers, recorded eight steals and scored 19 points off them, taking its 12th straight playoff win and home-court advantage out of San Antonio’s hands.
The offense flattened late
San Antonio scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, and Brunson had 13 by himself in the period. The Spurs’ late possessions leaned on difficult Wembanyama touches, De’Aaron Fox drives without enough finishing threat, and perimeter looks New York could contest without overhelping. Julian Champagnie, who hit five of six threes in the first half, missed all five of his second-half attempts. The Spurs finished with only 16 assists, and Wembanyama’s 26 points came on 6-of-21 shooting with six turnovers.
The third quarter forced San Antonio to win twice
The Spurs pushed their lead to 14 in the third quarter before New York erased it, tying the game at 76 entering the fourth. Building a big lead and watching it vanish meant San Antonio had to close out a game it once controlled, and the late execution was not sharp enough to do it.
Game 2 needs a possession plan
Wembanyama can stay the hub, but San Antonio needs quicker counters when New York digs at his dribble and swarms the ball. Stephon Castle led the non-Wembanyama Spurs with 17 points, with Dylan Harper and Champagnie at 16, so the scoring was there. The late possessions still narrowed around hard individual creation.
New York won a game in which it shot 41.5 percent from the field. “Wasn’t really our night, wasn’t really my night most of the night,” said Brunson, who gutted out knee and ankle injuries for 30 points on 12-of-31 shooting. San Antonio’s next answer has to come from better late-game organization as much as better shooting.
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