Alexander Wilson
San Antonio got the version of Jalen Brunson it probably wanted for most of Game 2, and somehow still lost.
That should terrify the Spurs. Brunson was inefficient, frustrated, and nowhere near the ruthless shot-maker who usually turns fourth quarters into a personal tax on the opponent. He still walked out of Texas up 2-0 in the NBA Finals.
The Knicks beat San Antonio 105-104 in Game 2, with Brunson hitting the go-ahead free throw after Victor Wembanyama’s late turnover. The box score was ugly by his standards: 20 points, 7-for-25 shooting, 5 steals, 6 assists, 4 turnovers, and a minus-10.
The Knicks no longer need perfect Brunson
Earlier in the postseason, a Brunson game like that probably would have felt fatal. Now it feels more like a warning to San Antonio.
Karl-Anthony Towns gave the Knicks 21 points and 13 rebounds. Mikal Bridges scored 20. The defense made enough plays late. Brunson was not carrying the whole operation on his back, and that is exactly why New York looks more dangerous than it did a month ago.
I have said before that Brunson is still the engine, but Game 2 showed the Knicks can win when the engine sputters. In a Finals setting, that changes everything, because San Antonio can execute a strong defensive plan and still get clipped by the rest of the roster.
The right mindset is already there
Brunson did not come out talking like the series was finished. He told AP the mindset has to be “0-0 again” before Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, which is exactly what you want from the player who has become the emotional thermostat of the team.
That quote matters because the Knicks are entering dangerous territory emotionally. They are two wins from a championship, they are coming home, ticket prices are absurd, and the entire city is ready to turn Game 3 into a coronation before the ball even goes up.
Brunson cannot let that happen. Mike Brown cannot let that happen. The Knicks have to treat Monday like another street fight, because Wembanyama is too good and the Spurs are too well-coached to assume the series is already cracked.
Still, the big takeaway is simple. Brunson had his worst Finals box score, and New York still stole a road game. If he finds his normal rhythm at Madison Square Garden, the Spurs may look back at Game 2 as the one they absolutely had to have.
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