Game 2 in San Antonio: The Spurs' Response Game

NBA FinalsGame 2Knicks Lead 1-0

Here's the thing about Game 1: San Antonio controlled it for three quarters and still lost by ten. The Spurs led 27-19 after one, pushed the gap to 14 in the third, and then watched New York close the show with a 29-19 fourth quarter and an 11-0 kill shot. Brunson scored 13 of his 30 in the final frame, buried a corner three with 1:02 left, and added a pull-up inside 40 seconds for good measure. The Knicks shot 41 percent overall and 11 of 36 from deep and it did not matter, because they held the Spurs to 36 percent from the floor, forced 13 turnovers, and went 16 of 18 at the line while giving the ball away just 9 times.

The number that hangs over Game 2 is 6 of 21. That was Victor Wembanyama's shooting line in his Finals debut, and his 26 points and 12 rebounds came the hard way, with 12 of 13 free throws papering over a 2-of-9 night from three and six turnovers. He said it himself afterward: it is almost like he has to play normal, not even good, and just doing the right things is enough. Coach Mitch Johnson's fix is obvious and stated, get Wembanyama moving in space and toward the rim, more pick-and-roll, more transition, fewer half-court wrestling matches with a Knicks defense that swallowed him whole. The good news for San Antonio is that the supporting cast already showed up: Stephon Castle had 17 and 8, Dylan Harper scored 16 off the bench in his Finals debut, and Julian Champagnie hit five first-half threes on his way to 16 and 10.

For New York, the formula is the same one that has won 13 of 15 playoff games and built a franchise-record 12-game postseason win streak. Karl-Anthony Towns went for 18 and 12, OG Anunoby added 17, and Josh Hart did everything with 15 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. The Knicks are not going to out-talent this team; they out-execute it from minute 36 to minute 48. The one thing to monitor is Brunson's body, after a first-quarter knee collision with Harrison Barnes and an apparent left ankle tweak in the second. He finished the game and closed it, but San Antonio's perimeter pressure will test those legs early.

The market take is fascinating. San Antonio is laying 6.5 the night after losing on its own floor, which is the market betting on regression: the Spurs do not shoot 36 percent twice, Wembanyama does not go 6 of 21 twice, and a 62-20 team with a plus-8.3 regular-season net rating does not go quietly down 0-2 at home. The 215 total sits below the 218.5 the opener carried, and after the teams combined for 200 points both defenses earned that respect. The counterargument is simple: New York is 13-2 in these playoffs, just won in this gym on an off shooting night, and plus-185 with a series lead is a fat number for a team whose entire identity is making favorites uncomfortable. Saturday brings the Stanley Cup Final back with Game 3 in Vegas; Friday night belongs entirely to this one.