After the Knicks’ 105-104 Game 2 win gave them a 2-0 lead over the Spurs, Jalen Brunson insisted New York can’t get comfortable. He expects San Antonio to turn up another gear when Game 3 arrives at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
Jalen Brunson knows exactly what a 2-0 lead can lull you into. The Knicks took control early in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, and after a hard-fought 105-104 Game 2 win on Friday night, the temptation would be to coast into Monday.
Brunson didn’t buy into it.
When asked whether the young Spurs group can elevate its intensity even further. the Knicks point guard didn’t soften the message. “Knowing them, there’s definitely another level,” Brunson told reporters. “We’ve got to be prepared. and we’ve got to be ready to match it and be ready to play for 48 minutes.”.
That answer matters because it comes with the weight of what happened in Game 2. San Antonio turned up the heat late, unleashing a furious 14-0 run in the fourth quarter on Friday. It was enough to briefly swing the lead in the Spurs’ favor before Brunson and New York took over again.
Brunson’s shot-making didn’t come easily—he went 7-for-25 from the floor—but the late-game instincts showed up the way they have all postseason. He finished with 20 points and a game-high five steals, including a pivotal swipe on Victor Wembanyama. That strip set up the game-winning free throw with 9.5 seconds remaining, sealing the narrow result.
Wembanyama still carried the Spurs with 29 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks. De’Aaron Fox added heavy secondary production to push New York to the brink, while Karl-Anthony Towns anchored the inside with 21 points and 13 rebounds to help keep the Knicks standing.
Brunson didn’t just speak about focus in the abstract. New York opened the series with consecutive road wins, and now Game 3 shifts to Madison Square Garden on Monday. With the Knicks sitting just two victories away from their first championship since 1973. the pressure isn’t theoretical—it’s right there. built into every possession.
The Spurs already proved they can hurt you when their intensity spikes, especially in the fourth quarter. So when Brunson says New York has to be ready “for 48 minutes,” it’s not a slogan—it’s the lesson of Friday night put into plain language, right as the series heads back to the home crowd.
Jalen Brunson New York Knicks San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals Game 2 Game 3 Madison Square Garden Victor Wembanyama De'Aaron Fox Karl-Anthony Towns