Knicks Steal Game 1 in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO — If the opening game of the 2026 NBA Finals was meant to be a test of championship mettle, the New York Knicks didn’t just pass—they graduated with honors.

In a raucous Frost Bank Center, the Knicks overturned a 14-point second-half deficit, stunning the San Antonio Spurs with a suffocating late-game surge to secure a 105–95 victory in Game 1. The win hands New York a 1–0 series lead and marks their 12th consecutive victory, proving that this “red-hot” team is far from cooling down.

A Tale of Two Halves

For the first 30 minutes, it looked like the Spurs might run the visitors off the floor. San Antonio’s length and pace, powered by the home crowd, saw them build a 65–51 advantage midway through the third quarter. Victor Wembanyama looked poised to dominate, and the Knicks’ offensive efficiency was faltering, with the team struggling to find a rhythm against the Spurs’ length.

But championship pedigree is often measured in how a team responds to adversity, and the Knicks responded with a defensive masterclass.

The turning point? A tactical shift that forced the Spurs out of their comfort zone. “Our transition defense was terrible in the first half,” Knicks coach Mike Brown admitted post-game. “We fixed the issue by committing just one turnover and allowing only one transition point in the second half.”

The Brunson & Towns Show

While the defense set the stage, Jalen Brunson once again proved he is the heartbeat of this Knicks revival. Despite shooting struggles earlier in the night, the All-Star guard erupted when it mattered most, finishing with 30 points and hitting the dagger three-pointer that put the game on ice.

Karl-Anthony Towns was equally instrumental, serving as the primary defensive anchor against Wembanyama. Towns tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds, but his impact was most felt on the defensive end, where the Knicks utilized their bigs to stay physical with the young Spurs star. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Wembanyama, while recording a double-double had been limited to 6-for-21 shooting and a season-high 6 turnovers.