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The New York Knicks came back from 14 points down in the second half, overcame a cold shooting night from Jalen Brunson, survived a late Victor Wembanyama takeover bid, and still walked out of San Antonio with a 105-95 Game 1 victory on Wednesday. Three wins away from their first championship since 1973, the Knicks did it the hard way, which at this point seems to be the only way they know how.

Spurs vs. Knicks: 2026 NBA Finals Game 1 breakdown

The San Antonio Spurs controlled the first half with relative ease. Dylan Harper and Julian Champagnie gave the Spurs energy early, Harper scoring 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, Champagnie finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds on five three-pointers.

Brunson, who picked up a minor knee and ankle injury in the first quarter after Harrison Barnes fell into him off a Landry Shamet shove, was 7-of-22 through three quarters. The Spurs led by seven at the half and stretched it to 14 points in the third. At that stage, an early series lead looked firmly in San Antonio's hands.

The Knicks clawed back through the third quarter, with Deuce McBride banking in a corner triple and Wembanyama missing a late attempt to leave the game tied at 76 after three. The fourth quarter opened up in a way nobody anticipated. OG Anunoby, who finished with 17 points on three made threes, hit a three over Wembanyama. Stephon Castle answered immediately for San Antonio. Back and forth, back and forth. Then Wembanyama powered through Towns for a basket and a foul, and suddenly the Spurs were back up 95-94 with 2:14 to play.


What followed was a 9-0 Knicks run that shut the door. Brunson hit a corner three to end the drought and reclaim the lead. He then made a falling-down fadeaway midrange attempt that was barely explicable, extending it to six. OG Anunoby made two free throws to push it to eight. The Knicks won a challenge on a Shamet deflection call, kept possession, and ran out the clock. Three empty possessions from the Spurs in the final two minutes sealed it.

Brunson finished 12-of-31 from the field for 30 points, the kind of box score that looks like a tough night until you account for the fact that he went 5-of-9 in the fourth quarter alone. Karl-Anthony Towns posted 18 points and 12 rebounds against Wembanyama all night. Josh Hart never scored but had 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a plus-22 rating. The Knicks are built in a very specific way and it showed.

Why Wembanyama's six turnovers and De'Aaron Fox's 3-of-13 night could cost the Spurs in Game 2

Wembanyama did not go quietly. He finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks, going 12-of-13 at the free-throw line. He was dominant in stretches and practically carried the Spurs into the fourth quarter. But six turnovers hurt San Antonio at critical moments, and the Spurs' inability to get stops down the stretch when it mattered most proved fatal.

De'Aaron Fox was the other major concern. San Antonio's veteran guard managed just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting. He won the inaugural NBA Clutch Player of the Year award back in 2023, and the Spurs will need far more from him in Game 2. Devin Vassell added nine points and nine rebounds but couldn't provide the offensive punch San Antonio needed alongside its young core.

Off the bench, Landry Shamet scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting for the Knicks, and Miles McBride added six points and four assists. Mikal Bridges contributed nine points and three assists. New York had answers at every position when it needed them. Game 2 is Friday night in San Antonio, and Brunson's knee condition between now and tip-off will be the most closely watched story heading into it.