The New York Knicks took Game 1 of the NBA Finals, beating the San Antonio Spurs and holding Victor Wembanyama to a rather forgettable performance.
The San Antonio Spurs fell to the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night, 105-95. It marks the first NBA Finals game for the Knicks since June 21, 1999.
Before the tip, the story of the game was expected to be the matchup between Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson. However, both superstars got off to slow starts, with Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper taking control for the Spurs early, with Karl-Anthony Towns keeping the Knicks in it.
The Spurs got off to a blistering start in the second quarter, eventually jumping out to a 14-point lead in the third. However, the Knicks returned the favor in the third, taking a lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, putting everything on the line in the final 12 minutes.
The Spurs were unable to respond.
Knicks Hold Strong, Come Back to Beat Spurs
Before the game, the Spurs promised physical, intense defense, especially on Brunson. He twice left the game with injury in the first half, first to the knee, then to the ankle after Luke Kornet landed on him. Fortunately, he did not go to the locker room or miss extended time. In addition to Brunson's injury, it seemed clear that De'Aaron Fox is not at 100 percent, as he was slow to get down the floor and looked unsure on deep jump shots, finishing with seven points.
Even hobbled, the Knicks were led by Jalen Brunson's 30 points and only shot 30 percent from 3-point range. The Spurs, meanwhile, were led by Victor Wembanyama's 26 points, although it wasn't really an MVP effort.
While Wembanyama is widely considered the best player in the series, Towns, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart were able to hold him to just six made field goals.
On the defensive end, he did finish with three blocks, although Towns' floor-spacing helped bring him out of the paint, allowing the Knicks to get easier looks in the paint and at the rim than most of the Spurs' opponents this season.
Despite the Fiesta colors worn by fans, New York made their presence felt. "Let's Go Knicks" chants and MVP serenades for Brunson could be heard all game, propelling the Knicks forward.
The series will remain in San Antonio for Game 2 on Friday, with the Spurs looking to get one back on their home floor.
