Knicks Go 2-0: 105-104 Thriller as Wemby Misses at the Buzzer
The New York Knicks erased another double-digit deficit and stole Game 2 on the road, beating the San Antonio Spurs 105-104 to take a commanding 2-0 NBA Finals lead. Both wins came inside the Frost Bank Center. The dagger sequence: a late Victor Wembanyama turnover (an errant pass off Stephon Castle's back) set up Jalen Brunson's game-winning free throw with 9.5 seconds left, and Wembanyama's open 20-foot look at the buzzer rimmed out. The Knicks are now 13-0 in their last 13 and head to Madison Square Garden two wins from the franchise's first title since 1973.
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Game 2 Box Score Highlights
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Brunson (NYK) | 20 | 3 | 6 | 7-25 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) | 24 | 13 | 2 | 9-17 |
| OG Anunoby (NYK) | 19 | 6 | 2 | 7-13 |
| Mikal Bridges (NYK) | 18 | 4 | 3 | 7-14 |
| Josh Hart (NYK) | 10 | 12 | 7 | 4-9 |
| Victor Wembanyama (SAS) | 29 | 9 | 4 | 11-21 |
| De'Aaron Fox (SAS) | 22 | 4 | 7 | 9-19 |
| Stephon Castle (SAS) | 16 | 5 | 4 | 6-14 |
The Final Sequence
San Antonio led by 12 in the third before the Knicks chipped back, as they have all postseason. With the game tied late, Brunson missed a contested jumper. Wembanyama grabbed the rebound and tried to push the ball up the floor, throwing a pass that caught Stephon Castle by surprise; it went off Castle's back and out. Brunson recovered the loose ball, drew a foul, and hit the go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds left.
San Antonio had the final possession. Wembanyama got a clean look from 20 feet over a closing-out Anunoby; the shot was on line but long, rimming out as the buzzer sounded. Knicks 105, Spurs 104.
Brunson's stat line was ugly by his standards (20 points on 7-of-25, 2-of-8 from three), but the six assists, five steals, and the game-tying jumper plus the game-winning free throw kept the Knicks in control when his shot wasn't falling. Towns was the night's best Knick (24/13) and Anunoby (19) and Bridges (18) gave New York exactly the role-player support the Game 2 market doubted.
How Our Game 2 Best Bets Did
- Knicks +5.5 (-110): ✅ WIN. They won outright, easy cover.
- Brunson Over 25.5 Points (-104): ❌ LOSS. 20 points on a cold 7-of-25 night.
- Brunson Over 6.5 Assists (+108): ❌ PUSH-ish. Finished with exactly 6 (graded under).
- Wembanyama Over 3.5 Blocks (+100): ❌ LOSS. Wemby had 2 blocks.
- Under 214.5 (-110): ✅ WIN. 209 total points, comfortably under.
Net: the two headline plays we led with (Knicks +5.5 and Under 214.5) both cashed. The Brunson and Wemby prop plays missed on a low-scoring, defense-first night.
Post-Game 2 Series Futures
| Market | Post-G1 | Post-G2 (today) |
|---|---|---|
| Knicks to win Finals | -145 | -450 |
| Spurs to win Finals | +125 | +350 |
| Brunson Finals MVP | +135 | -130 |
| Wembanyama Finals MVP | +115 | +200 |
| Knicks to win in 4 (sweep) | +650 | +320 |
| Knicks to win in 5 | +450 | +260 |
Illustrative as of Saturday morning. A 2-0 lead with the next two at MSG makes the Knicks heavy favorites; history says teams that go up 2-0 in the Finals win the series roughly 93% of the time.
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What It Means: The 2-0 History
Teams that take a 2-0 NBA Finals lead have gone on to win the title in 31 of 33 instances (about 93%). The Knicks now get Games 3 and 4 at Madison Square Garden, where they were 35-6 this season including playoffs. San Antonio must win at MSG to avoid going down 3-0, a deficit no NBA team has ever recovered from.
For the Spurs, the alarming part isn't Wembanyama (29/9, he played well) , it's that they led both games and lost both at home. Fox was excellent (22/7) but the supporting cast went quiet late in both games, and the late-game execution (the Game 2 turnover, the Game 1 fourth-quarter collapse) has been the difference.
Game 3 Preview: Knicks Come Home
Game 3 is Monday June 8 at Madison Square Garden, 8:30 PM ET on ABC. Opening line: Knicks -6.5, total 211.5. The Garden will be the loudest building in basketball with the Knicks two wins from the title. Key questions:
- Does Brunson bounce back? A 7-of-25 night at home is unlikely to repeat. If he scores 30 again, this could get out of hand.
- Can the Spurs steal one on the road? They have to win at MSG to extend the series. Wembanyama needs help; Fox can't do it alone.
- Sweep watch. Knicks to win in 4 dropped to +320. If you believe in the Garden crowd, the series-price value is gone but the game lines stay live.
Where to Bet Game 3 From New York
All nine NY-licensed sportsbooks are pricing Game 3 and updated series futures. FanDuel leads the NY market on Same Game Parlay+ pricing for the Finals and is running the largest guaranteed welcome offer in the state right now: "Get $350 in Bonus Bets Guaranteed" (Bet $5 for 7 days, $350 in bonus bets regardless of result).
Compare all nine operators at our NY sportsbooks comparison, or read our Game 2 preview for the full props framework that carries into Game 3.
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