2026 NBA Finals: Important plays, lessons from Knicks-Spurs Game 2 - ESPN

The New York Knicks had no business winning Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals. They had already stolen home-court advantage from the San Antonio Spurs with a road win in Game 1, so they would have been forgiven a letdown two nights later.

History suggested they would lose, likely by double digits: Entering this series, road teams that won Game 1 of the Finals were just 2-16 in the ensuing Game 2, with an average minus-11.3 scoring margin. And the Spurs had responded to a Game 1 defeat at home in the second round, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, with a 38-point blowout win in Game 2.

But that's not what transpired in San Antonio on Friday night. Instead, the Knicks survived a late-game collapse with a 105-104 victory, extending their win streak to 13 games and bringing them just two wins away from a long-awaited championship.

Given that opportunity, Madison Square Garden might set indoor decibel records on Monday, when the series shifts to New York for Game 3 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN app). But first, let's break down a Game 2 classic from all angles, from its most important plays to the key lineup decisions and players to watch as the Spurs attempt to save their season.

Quick links:
Game 1 lessons, top plays | Takeaways
Schedule | Bracket | Playoff coverage

Game 2's thrilling finish means we have to start at the end.

Exactly halfway through the fourth quarter, the Knicks led by 14 points following an OG Anunoby dunk against Victor Wembanyama, and a 2-0 series lead seemed all but assured. At that moment, according to ESPN Analytics, New York had a 98.2% chance to win the game.

But the Spurs came back in a flurry. Led primarily by the left-handed backcourt duo of Dylan Harper and De'Aaron Fox, the Spurs scored 14