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Game 1 lived up to the billing thanks to a dynamite performance from its biggest star, Jalen Brunson.
The San Antonio Spurs couldn’t hang with the Knicks in Game 1, as New York took a 1-0 series lead with a clutch 105-95 victory.
The Knicks have now won 12 consecutive postseason games. The Knicks’ 12-game postseason winning streak is tied with the 1999 Spurs for second all-time.
Only the 2017 Warriors won more at 15, putting New York within reach.
Most Knicks fans had “winning on the road” on their championship bingo card. Their team did not disappoint.
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Brunson rose to the occasion against Victor Wembanyama, helping New York outlast the young and inexperienced Spurs.
Game 1 delivered drama early.
In the first quarter, Brunson exited with an apparent leg injury, frequently grimacing and favoring his right knee.
The scare over Brunson’s knee was short-lived.
After a brief trip to the locker room, Brunson quickly returned to the bench and eventually re-entered the game.
The Knicks came out of halftime sluggishly, falling behind by 13 points in the third quarter. But New York never looked rattled.
Brunson, already a postseason hero, took several hard knocks throughout the night, including a minor ankle tweak after colliding with Luke Kornet. Any concerns about his health faded as the game wore on. Brunson turned on the boosters in the second half, attacking the Spurs’ defense and showing little sign that his knee was bothering him.
San Antonio relied heavily on the three-point shot, but with little success. The Spurs connected on just 11 of 43 attempts from beyond the arc.
Despite boasting a 7-foot-4 freak in Wembanyama, San Antonio repeatedly fired from deep and came up empty.
Brunson eventually returned to heroic form, leading the Knicks with 30 points and taking over the fourth quarter when it mattered most.
Social media quickly lit up with praise for the Knicks star. “Brunson is the best fourth-quarter performer I’ve ever seen,” one reaction read, echoing the sentiment of fans watching another clutch postseason masterpiece.
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The Knicks’ supporting cast delivered alongside their star.
“Wasn’t really my night most of the night. But we just kept chipping away. Kept finding a way,” Brunson said after his MVP-worthy performance.
“Our chemistry, knowing that we have each other’s backs,” Brunson said when asked about the team’s comeback from a 13-point deficit.
“I’ll be alright,” Brunson added after getting banged up in Game 1.
Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby combined for 35 points. New York’s bench backcourt also made key contributions.
José Alvarado played crucial minutes while Brunson was in the locker room being evaluated. Landry Shamet added 13 points off the bench, while Miles McBride scored seven points in 11 minutes.
The Spurs missed more production from De’Aaron Fox, who turned in an unremarkable performance (seven points), leaving San Antonio to lean heavily on its young core.
Wembanyama, one of the marquee stars of this series, was his usual disruptive presence in the paint defensively but struggled to make a larger impact elsewhere. He still led San Antonio with 26 points.
At the end of the day, the lights appeared too bright for the Spurs, and the Knicks head into Game 2 with a 1-0 lead in the Finals.
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New York City will have plenty to celebrate after the Knicks opened the Finals with a statement win.
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