Knicks Take 2-0 Lead Over Spurs in 2026 NBA Finals, Nearing First Title Since 1973

The New York Knicks are halfway to ending a half-century of heartbreak. Following a nail-biting 105-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2, the Knicks have taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the 2026 NBA Finals.[1][6]

The dramatic win on Friday night marked a historic milestone for the franchise, making them only the third team in NBA Finals history to win the first two games of the championship series on the road, joining the 1993 Chicago Bulls and the 1995 Houston Rockets.[1][6]

The victory also extended New York's remarkable postseason run to 13 consecutive wins. This stands as the second-longest winning streak in NBA playoff history, underscoring the sheer dominance the team has displayed since the opening round.[1][6]

Game 2 was a fiercely contested battle that came down to the final seconds. Karl-Anthony Towns anchored the Knicks with a dominant performance, recording his second straight Finals double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds, earning Player of the Game honors.[1][6]

However, the Spurs, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama, mounted a ferocious fourth-quarter comeback. Wembanyama rallied his teammates with an impassioned speech, erasing a double-digit deficit to even the score in the closing minutes.[1][5]

The climax arrived in the dying seconds. Trailing by one, San Antonio had a chance to steal the victory, but a crucial turnover and a missed shot by Wembanyama sealed their fate, allowing the Knicks to escape with the win.[1][6]

Following the game, the French superstar took accountability for the final sequence, openly admitting his frustration over the late-game execution and acknowledging that his mistakes cost the team a pivotal victory.[3]

Now, the series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Game 3, bringing the NBA Finals back to New York City for the first time since 1999—which, coincidentally, was also a matchup against the Spurs.[2][6]

The city is in an absolute frenzy. Ticket prices for the upcoming games have skyrocketed as fans clamor for the chance to witness a championship celebration that has eluded the franchise since 1973.[1][2]

Despite the mounting excitement and the celebrity-filled crowds expected at the Garden, the Knicks' locker room remains intensely focused. Head coach Mike Brown, who took over the team this season and led them to a 53-29 regular-season record, has kept his squad grounded.[2][6]

"Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball be played here at Madison Square Garden," Towns remarked, emphasizing that while the team appreciates the city's energy, their job is far from finished.[2]

For the Spurs, the challenge is steep but not impossible. As the second-youngest team to ever reach the NBA Finals, San Antonio has already defied expectations this season, completing a massive 40-game turnaround from their previous campaign.[6]

To get back into the series, the Spurs will need to find a way to break New York's suffocating defense and disrupt the rhythm of Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who has been a relentless offensive engine throughout the playoffs.[5][6]

As Game 3 tips off, history heavily favors New York. No team in NBA history has ever recovered from losing the first two games of the Finals at home to go on and win the championship, leaving the Spurs with an unprecedented mountain to climb.[1]