By Matija Šerić
It finally happened. Basketball fans got what they had been waiting for. In the early hours of Thursday morning, the long-anticipated NBA Finals series officially tipped off. Either the Knicks or the Spurs will be crowned champions of the world’s premier basketball league.
Very few people expected New York and San Antonio to emerge as title contenders at the start of the season, but that is now reality. Judging by Game 1, this Finals series could become one of the best of the past decade. The Knicks accomplished a huge feat by defeating the Spurs 105-95 on the road at Frost Bank Center to take a 1-0 series lead. A closer analysis shows that the smallest details ultimately decided the winner.
An Overwhelmed Spurs Team Struggles Early
New York got off to the better start. It seemed that the Spurs were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson knocked down the opening three-pointer to give the visitors an early lead, setting the tone for the contest. Alongside the brilliant point guard, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns all played key roles in helping the Knicks build a 14-7 advantage midway through the opening quarter.
Spurs Respond, but the Knicks Stay Within Reach
However, San Antonio quickly settled down and began playing with greater confidence. The Spurs answered with a 20-13 run and eventually took a ten-point lead late in the first quarter. Besides the unstoppable Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio was driven by outstanding performances from Stephon Castle, rookie Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox, and Julian Champagnie. The home team relied on explosive drives from its guards and accurate three-point shooting in transition.
The second quarter was extremely competitive, with the lead changing hands six times. Knicks reserves Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado provided crucial contributions, allowing stars such as Brunson, Hart, and Mikal Bridges to catch their breath. At halftime, the Spurs led 55-48.
Spurs Build a 14-Point Lead, but Towns Sparks the Comeback
The opening minutes of the third quarter belonged entirely to the home side, which looked unstoppable. Castle repeatedly penetrated the defense for easy baskets and offensive rebounds, while Harper showcased elite-level playmaking ability. Midway through the quarter, the Spurs led 65-51 and appeared to be taking complete control of the game.
Instead, the exact opposite happened.
Bridges ignited a 22-9 Knicks run. Towns took over with exceptional defense, offensive rebounding, smart passing, and timely scoring. He initiated the comeback, with Brunson and the rest of the team following suit. By the end of the third quarter, the score was tied at 76-76.
Brunson’s Magic Seals the Victory
The Knicks maintained control for the remainder of the game, with their experience proving decisive. Brunson and Anunoby led the charge, while Brunson exploded for 13 points in the fourth quarter alone—just six fewer than the entire Spurs team scored in the period.
On the other side, Wembanyama embraced the challenge, keeping San Antonio alive with baskets in the paint, free throws, and three-pointers. However, New York completely took over in the final two minutes, closing the game with an 11-0 run that ultimately sealed the victory.
Brunson delivered an MVP-caliber performance: three-pointers, fadeaways, and perfectly timed assists. The Spurs failed to score a single point during the decisive stretch. Wembanyama simply ran out of energy, and that proved to be one of the key factors behind New York taking a 1-0 lead.
Better Shooting and Fewer Turnovers Made the Difference
Overall statistics do not suggest Knicks dominance—because there really wasn’t any. The Spurs led for 56 percent of the game and held a maximum advantage of 14 points, while the Knicks never led by more than ten.
However, New York was far more efficient. The visitors shot 41 percent from the field compared to San Antonio’s 36 percent. They also held an edge from beyond the arc, shooting 31 percent to the Spurs’ 26 percent.
San Antonio committed four more turnovers (13-9), a significant factor that allowed the Knicks to score easier baskets in transition.
Brunson’s Brilliance Was Worth the Win
Jalen Brunson was unquestionably the MVP of Game 1, finishing with 30 points, three rebounds, and two assists. His confidence and willingness to take risks gave New York a tremendous edge.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown praised his star guard:
“When the biggest moments arrive, he shows up. That’s what MVPs are supposed to do.”
Brunson remained focused after the win:
“I think we know what we have to do. I believe we’re a very close-knit group.”
Brown also praised his team’s resilience:
“These guys are incredibly resilient and mentally tough. As the game goes on, they just keep getting better and better.”
Towns and Company Form a Winning Machine
Karl-Anthony Towns followed Brunson with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson opted not to assign Wembanyama to defend Towns, giving the Knicks big man plenty of room to operate against San Antonio’s smaller defenders in the early stages of possessions.
OG Anunoby was consistently excellent throughout the game, scoring 17 points. Josh Hart managed only three points but contributed six assists and dominated the glass with 12 rebounds.
The Knicks’ bench trio of Shamet, Alvarado, and Miles McBride combined for a massive 26 points. Shamet once again excelled from three-point range, hitting three of his six attempts, while the other two provided invaluable energy and hustle that cannot always be measured by traditional statistics.
A Tired Wembanyama and an Ineffective Fox
As expected, Wembanyama led San Antonio with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks, although he shot just 6-for-21 from the field and committed six turnovers.
Still, it would be unfair to say he played poorly. Rather, New York’s defense did an outstanding job limiting his impact. Towns, Hart, and Anunoby all made tremendous efforts to contain him, and they largely succeeded.
Moreover, Wembanyama looked exhausted. The grueling series against the Thunder appeared to have drained him both physically and mentally.
Castle finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Champagnie added 16 points and ten boards. However, De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell struggled badly. Fox scored just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting, while Vassell managed only nine points on 4-of-11 shooting, despite collecting nine rebounds.
San Antonio desperately needed more production from those two starters. The final margin could have been even larger had rookie Dylan Harper not stepped up with 16 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes.
A Star-Studded Crowd
Numerous celebrities attended the NBA Finals opener, adding to the spectacle.
The Spurs were passionately supported by legendary former head coach Gregg Popovich, whose tenure lasted from 1996 to 2025. Pop attended the game, as he had every previous Spurs Finals appearance, although for the first time he watched from a VIP suite rather than the sidelines.
Many Spurs legends were also in attendance, including Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili, Bruce Bowen, David Robinson, and several others.
The Knicks also had their share of famous supporters. Franchise icon Patrick Ewing was present, along with some of New York’s most recognizable celebrity fans: Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan, Ben Stiller, Fat Joe, Timothée Chalamet, and many more.
The Knicks Hold the Strategic Advantage
The Knicks became the first team ever to defeat the Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, ending San Antonio’s perfect 6-0 record in Finals openers. It also marks the first time in franchise history that the Spurs have trailed in an NBA Finals series before its conclusion.
With the victory, New York extended its winning streak to 12 games overall and seven consecutive road wins in the playoffs. Truly remarkable.
Game 2 will be played on Friday night, once again in San Antonio. The Spurs will be under enormous psychological pressure. They simply must win, because falling behind 2-0 before heading to Madison Square Garden would leave them on the brink of elimination.
No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit, and only a handful have recovered from trailing 3-1. It’s also worth remembering that the Knicks defeated the Spurs 124-113 in the NBA Cup Final back in December—a result that undoubtedly lingers in the minds of both teams.
And it is precisely this uncertainty, excitement, and unpredictability that make the NBA Finals so captivating.
