Jalen Brunson delivered a dominant 30-point performance to lead the New York Knicks past the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. He poured in 13 points in the fourth quarter alone and sealed the win with a spinning jumper while falling to the floor with 38 seconds remaining.
4 Key Highlights
- Brunson led all scorers with 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter and a clutch late jumper
- Knicks erased a 14-point second-half deficit, finishing the game on an 11-0 run
- New York extended its playoff win streak to 12 straight games, one of the longest in NBA history
- Spurs star Victor Wembanyama posted 26 points and 12 rebounds in his Finals debut but shot 6-of-21
Game 1 Shock in San Antonio
Knicks head coach Mike Brown praised his guard’s composure in big moments, saying: “He's a gamer, man. In the biggest moments, he shows up. That's what MVPs are supposed to do.”
Knicks erase double-digit deficit
New York overcame a 14-point second-half deficit, flipping momentum with a 22-9 run in the third quarter before closing strong in the final minutes. The Knicks ultimately finished the game on an 11-0 run to steal home-court advantage in the series opener. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds, while OG Anunoby added 17 points as New York extended its remarkable playoff run.
Historic streak continues
With the victory, the Knicks extended their winning streak to 12 consecutive playoff games, becoming just the seventh team in NBA history to achieve such a run, and only the third to do so in a single postseason. It also marked the first time in franchise history that the Spurs lost a Game 1 in the Finals, ending their previous 6-0 record in series openers.
Wembanyama’s tough debut, Spurs fall short
Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with 26 points and 12 rebounds, but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 6-of-21 in his Finals debut. Stephon Castle added 17 points, while Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper scored 16 each. Wembanyama admitted after the game: “I was bad tonight. It's not more complicated than that.”
The Spurs briefly led by 14 in the third quarter but collapsed down the stretch as New York’s late surge proved decisive.
