Knicks take 2-0 lead as Wembanyama miss flips Finals Game 2

Knicks 2-0 – Down the stretch of Game 2, New York held off a Spurs comeback built around pace and late runs. Victor Wembanyama’s final mistakes—and a turnover that ended with a costly foul—left the Knicks clinging to a one-point win, 105-104, and a commanding 2-0 series le

When the final seconds ticked away, the Spurs were left with one familiar sight: Victor Wembanyama with a look to take the game. He had the chance, but he missed as time expired, and the Knicks walked away with a 105-104 victory to go up 2-0 in the NBA Finals on Friday, June 5.

The game never settled into one rhythm. Both teams traded control and built advantages as large as 12 points, yet the last period refused to stop tightening. New York trailed 34-25 after the first quarter and didn’t take its first lead of the game until the final minutes of the second quarter.

By halftime, the Knicks were in front 56-52 after outscoring San Antonio 31-18 in the second quarter. They carried that momentum through the third, leading 84-75 after three quarters, before a fourth-quarter push from the Spurs made sure nothing would come easy.

Tension turned sharper at 9:35 left, when De’Aaron Fox of the Spurs and Jalen Brunson of the Knicks shared a stare down. Rick Brunson—an assistant coach on the Knicks staff and Jalen Brunson’s father—was visibly unhappy and was briefly held back by Knicks head coach Mike Brown on the bench.

With 9:11 remaining, San Antonio began to pick up the pace. Dylan Harper made a shot under the basket to cut the Knicks’ advantage to five, leaving New York ahead 87-82.

Then came the kind of late swing that can erase a lead in a hurry. At 2:59 left, Harper scored under the basket to tie the game at 97. The Spurs followed with a 14-0 scoring run to level things at 97 and set up a finish that felt increasingly inevitable.

At 57.3 seconds left, Wembanyama had already put San Antonio in front. He converted a layup off an assist from Dylan Harper to give the Spurs a 103-102 lead. Karl-Anthony Towns was called for his fifth foul on the play, sending Wembanyama to the line, where he made a free throw.

At 13.6 seconds left, the Knicks were right back in the moment after Jalen Brunson missed a jump shot. Wembanyama grabbed the defensive rebound and attempted to pass toward point guard Stephon Castle, who wasn’t looking. Brunson swooped in and stole the ball before colliding with Wembanyama, drawing a foul.

Brunson made just one of his two free throw attempts with 7.5 seconds left to give New York a 105-104 lead. From there. San Antonio still had the possession it needed: Wembanyama got a clean look for a potential game-winner at the final possession with 0.0 seconds left. but his shot missed as time expired.

New York won 105-104 and will return to New York with a 2-0 lead. The next game also brings the possibility of a sweep and the chance for the Knicks to capture their first title since 1973.

The sequence of the final moments mattered as much as the score. San Antonio’s 14-0 run tied the game late. but the last swing belonged to a combination of Wembanyama’s turnover attempt after the rebound—followed by the collision that led to Brunson’s free throws—and then Wembanyama’s missed shot after earning one final look.

NBA Finals Knicks Spurs Game 2 Victor Wembanyama Jalen Brunson De'Aaron Fox Karl-Anthony Towns Dylan Harper Rick Brunson Mike Brown