The New York Knicks walked a tightrope in San Antonio, then slipped out with a 105‑104 win in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, swiping a 2‑0 series lead and home-court momentum on the flight back to Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson buried the go‑ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds left after Victor Wembanyama’s costly turnover, and Wembanyama’s fadeaway at the horn spun off the rim to seal it. Karl‑Anthony Towns anchored New York with 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Spurs’ furious fourth‑quarter push stalled one shot short.
How the finish unfolded
Brunson spent most of the night grinding through a 7‑for‑25 shooting line, but he had the ball when it mattered most. After a chaotic late inbound that left San Antonio scrambling, Wembanyama lost control of the ball, opening the door for Brunson to step to the stripe and knock down what became the game‑winner.
According to The New York Times, Dylan Harper sparked the Spurs with 15 points off the bench and De'Aaron Fox added 20 during a late surge that had Frost Bank Center rocking. Instead of a signature comeback, though, the night ended with San Antonio scrambling for a final look and the Knicks joggling out with a one‑point edge and a two‑game cushion.
Box score and series update
Towns’ 21 points and 13 boards powered New York’s front line, while Wembanyama countered with 29 points on 11‑of‑21 shooting, nine rebounds and four blocks. Per the official box score and series hub on NBA.com, the victory pushed the Knicks’ postseason win streak to 13 straight games. The series now shifts to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, giving both coaching staffs a tight turnaround to tweak coverages before the Garden crowd gets its first Finals crack at the Spurs.
Presidential visit and ticket surge
President Donald Trump said he plans to be in the building for Game 3, an extra layer of spotlight on a week that was already overloaded with storylines. The Associated Press reported Trump’s intention to attend and noted that secondary‑market tickets were climbing into the thousands as fans and visitors chased their way into the building. The added security, national attention and star power figure to crank up the volume on what is already a pressure cooker of a homestand for New York.
Garden questions and what's next
Back in New York, the central tactical question will be how the Knicks handle Wembanyama’s size and versatility over extended minutes, and whether they can bottle the late‑game stops that saved Game 2. Reporting on the team’s patient roster construction has highlighted how New York arrived at this moment with playoff‑tested depth and a coaching staff built for in‑series adjustments. If the Garden gets rolling early, San Antonio will need counters in a hurry to keep this from turning into a steeper climb.
Game 3 tips Monday night at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will try to turn a hard‑earned split‑second escape in San Antonio into a commanding 3‑0 series lead. Expect more matchup tinkering around Wembanyama and Towns as both sides scrap for control of the Finals story before the scene shifts back to Texas.
