Knicks Rally Past Spurs In Game 1 Of The NBA Finals 105-95

The New York Knicks rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, led by Jalen Brun...

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The New York Knicks opened the NBA Finals with a comeback win, extending a long playoff surge. Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 30 points in a 105-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 on Wednesday night.

New York trailed by 14 points in the third quarter but controlled the final stages. The Knicks closed the matchup on an 11-0 burst, overturning a late deficit after San Antonio briefly moved ahead again in the closing minutes.

The decisive sequence began after Victor Wembanyama hit two free throws with 2:16 remaining. That pair put the Spurs back in front 95-94. On the next possession, Brunson answered with a corner three-pointer that restored the Knicks’ lead for good.

New York’s revival actually gathered speed late in the third quarter.

San Antonio had built a 14-point cushion midway through the period. The Knicks replied with a 22-9 surge to close the quarter, leaving the score level at 76 entering the final frame.

Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds for New York. OG Anunoby added 17 points, giving the Knicks three main scoring options. New York also pushed its playoff winning streak to 12 games, joining a small group of teams with such a run.

Wembanyama finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds in the first finals appearance. However, Wembanyama shot 6-for-21 from the field. Stephon Castle scored 17 points for San Antonio, while Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper both supplied 16 points to support the Spurs’ offence.

The result carried extra historical weight for both teams. The Knicks became the first opponent to defeat San Antonio in Game 1 of an NBA Finals series. The Spurs had been 6-0 in those matchups and had never previously trailed in any finals before the finish.

New York’s advantage reached eight midway through the fourth quarter before the late swings. The Knicks now lead the best-of-seven series 1-0, with Game 2 scheduled for Friday in San Antonio.