Knicks vs. Spurs live takeaways: San Antonio looks to rebound in Game 2

If the San Antonio Spurs are to make the 2026 NBA Finals competitive, they absolutely must win Game 2.

The New York Knicks stole Game 1 on the road Wednesday, June 3, which means the Spurs cannot afford to fall into a 0-2 hole before the series moves  to Madison Square Garden next week. As it is, history is already against San Antonio; teams that lose Game 1 of the NBA Finals have gone on to lose the series 69.6% of the time (24-55).

It will be incumbent on Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama to bounce back from a tough showing in Game 1, one in which he shot just 6-of-21 from the field. Wembanyama has stressed that all the Spurs need to do is play to their identity.

“We just need to be normal,” Wembanyama said Thursday.

That said, the Knicks are entering Game 2 Friday, June 5 on a 12-game postseason winning streak, something only three teams have done.

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The natural response was always going to be for San Antonio to play with a different level of urgency in Game 2. The Spurs, from the very first seconds of the game, played with a level of force and physicality they didn’t have two nights ago.

For one, San Antonio’s speedy and aggressive guards De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle were picking up full-court pressure on made baskets. Once the ball crossed half court, the Spurs also used stayed in front of New York‘s players with lateral quickness.

Then, once the Knicks tried to foray into the paint, Spurs defenders collapsed to show bodies and clog the area.

The Knicks opened the game shooting just 6-of-17 (35.3%) from the field and New York scored just 2 points in the paint in the first 7:44 of the game.

In Game 1, San Antonio backed down from New York’s physical defense and settled for jumpers. In the first quarter of Game 2, the Spurs spammed attacks in the paint to space the floor, setting up sprays to perimeter or high-percentage looks near the rim.

This is San Antonio’s recipe for success. The Spurs led in points in the paint in the first quarter by a 18-8 margin.

The Spurs shot a blistering 65% from the field in the first.

In the first quarter, by the 5:45 mark in the period, the Spurs had already reached the bonus. Much like the way New York started Game 1, Knicks players appealed to officials several times, looking for calls. Then, on the other end, New York played a touch slower in the first quarter and resorted to cheap fouls when its defensive positioning had been compromised.