At some point, it stops feeling like a hot streak.
The Knicks are now 12 wins deep into something much bigger.
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points, Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and New York stormed back from a 14-point second-half deficit to defeat the Spurs, 105-95, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night in San Antonio.
The victory extended the Knicks’ postseason winning streak to 12 games and gave them a 1-0 lead in a series many believed would revolve around San Antonio’s size, youth and home-court advantage.
Instead, it revolved around New York’s resilience. Again.
The Spurs appeared to be in control midway through the third quarter, leading by as many as 14 points and feeding off a raucous home crowd that included franchise legends Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Manu Ginobili.
Then the Knicks did what they’ve seemingly done all spring.
They kept coming.
New York closed the third quarter on a 22-9 run, erased the deficit and turned the final minutes into another Jalen Brunson showcase.
After Victor Wembanyama knocked down two free throws to give San Antonio a 95-94 lead with just over two minutes remaining, Brunson answered with a corner three-pointer on the next possession. The Knicks never trailed again.
The game ended with New York scoring the final 11 points.
Brunson finished with 30 points, while OG Anunoby added 17. Towns recorded a double-double and helped anchor a Knicks team that once again found answers when it mattered most.
Wembanyama finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds in his NBA Finals debut, but New York made him work for everything. The Spurs star shot just 6-of-21 from the field. Stephon Castle scored 17 points, while Dylan Harper and Julian Champagnie each added 16.
Perhaps most remarkably, the Knicks handed San Antonio its first-ever Game 1 loss in the NBA Finals. Prior to Wednesday, the Spurs were 6-0 in Finals openers and had never trailed a championship series at any point before the conclusion of a Finals.
Now they do.
As for the Knicks, they continue to look like a team that believes this may finally be its time.
Game 2 is Friday night in San Antonio.
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