The New York Knicks are heading back to Madison Square Garden with momentum firmly on their side, now just two victories away from capturing their first NBA championship in more than five decades.
The Knicks edged the San Antonio Spurs 105-104 on Friday night to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals, extending their remarkable postseason winning streak to 13 games.
The decisive moment came in the closing seconds when Jalen Brunson converted a go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds remaining after a costly turnover by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama then missed a potential game-winning jumper as time expired, allowing New York to escape with the victory.
Karl-Anthony Towns led a balanced Knicks effort with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Brunson and Mikal Bridges each contributed 20 points.
The victory further solidified New York’s place in NBA history. The Knicks became only the third team ever to win the opening two games of an NBA Finals on the road, joining the 1993 Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan and the 1995 Houston Rockets led by Hakeem Olajuwon.
Both of those teams went on to win the championship, a precedent Knicks fans hope will continue. New York is seeking its first NBA title since 1973.
San Antonio mounted a dramatic comeback after trailing by 12 points midway through the fourth quarter. Wembanyama, who was relatively quiet in the first half, finished with 29 points and sparked the rally. His three-point play with 57 seconds remaining gave the Spurs a 104-102 lead, their first advantage in nearly two quarters.
De’Aaron Fox added 20 points for San Antonio, but the Spurs were unable to hold on down the stretch.
The series now shifts to Madison Square Garden, where Game 3 is scheduled for Monday night.
Excitement is reaching fever pitch in New York as the Knicks move closer to ending a championship drought that has lasted more than 50 years. Demand for tickets has soared, with secondary-market prices for some of the least expensive seats approaching $9,000.
Adding to the spotlight, President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, is expected to attend Game 3.
With the series returning home and history within reach, the Knicks find themselves in a position few could have imagined at the start of the season: two wins away from bringing an NBA championship back to New York.
