NBA finals: Knicks within two wins of elusive title after holding off Spurs in Game 2

The New York Knicks moved within two wins of their first NBA championship in more than half a century on Friday night, edging the San Antonio Spurs 105-104 in a Game 2 thriller to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the NBA finals before the series shifts to Madison Square Garden.

After stealing Game 1 with a furious fourth-quarter comeback, the Knicks once again turned to Jalen Brunson when the game hung in the balance. The All-NBA guard sank the go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds remaining after a costly turnover by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. Moments later, Wembanyama’s clean look from the elbow at the buzzer rattled off the back rim, allowing New York to become the first team since the 1995 Houston Rockets to open an NBA finals by winning the first two games on the road.

The victory also extended the Knicks’ remarkable postseason run to 13 consecutive wins, matching one of the longest single-season playoff winning streaks in NBA history and fueling belief that a franchise still chasing its first title since 1973 may finally be on the verge of ending decades of frustration.

Brunson, who scored 30 points in Wednesday’s opener despite battling a sore knee and ankle, finished with 20 points on 7-for-25 shooting but once again provided the composure New York needed in the biggest moments. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 25 points on 8-for-12 shooting and delivered several crucial baskets down the stretch.

Wembanyama looked determined to atone for a frustrating finals debut in which he shot just 6 for 21 and committed six turnovers. The 21-year-old French star responded with 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting in 40 minutes, but his late giveaway and narrowly missed jumper ultimately defined a heartbreaking finish for San Antonio.

No team has lifted the trophy after dropping the first two games of the finals at home.