SAN ANTONIO — The thrill. Then the anguish.
And then the absolute euphoria.
The Knicks took their fans through every possible emotion. The result was something special.
It didn’t have to be pretty. It didn’t have to be straightforward.
All that matters is that the Knicks are halfway there.
Karl-Anthony Towns reacts during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 5. Charles Wenzelberg
The Knicks now have a 2-0 series lead. Jason Szenes for The New York Post
They saw a 14-point fourth quarter lead evaporate. But it didn’t matter. They made enough plays down the stretch to take home a 105-104 Game 2 win over the Spurs on Friday night to take a commanding 2-0 NBA Finals series lead.
“We gotta do a good job of staying composed in those situations,” Jalen Brunson said. “It’s a credit to the character this team has. Not being able to fold in situations like that is key.”
After the Knicks took the 14-point lead with 6:04 left in the game, the Spurs rattled off a 14-0 run to tie the game with 2:59 left. Brunson missed three straight shots in that stretch. A few moments later, the Knicks were trailing by two.
It looked like a heart-wrenching collapse was on.
But Brunson responded with a bucket to tie the game with 39.3 seconds left. Victor Wembanyama missed on the other end.
Jalen Brunson looks to move the ball during the Knicks’ June 5 game against the Spurs. Charles WenzelbergAfter a timeout, Brunson missed a midrange jumper over Wembanyama. But Wembanyama turned it right over, throwing his outlet pass to Stephon Castle, who wasn’t looking. It hit him in the back and the ball was corralled by Brunson. Wembanyama then fouled him. Brunson made one of two free throws to put the Knicks up by one as the Spurs called timeout with 7.5 seconds left.
Wembanyama would have another chance for his signature moment. Everything lined up for him to create the lasting memory.
And he failed. De’Aron Fox got the inbounds pass. Wembanyama set a screen for him, and Fox passed it to him. Everyone knew who would end up taking the last shot.
But Wembanyama’s 20-foot jumper over Mitchell Robinson hit off the side rim and missed. The abundance of Knicks fans in the arena rejoiced. An incredible 13th straight win was secured.
Wembanyama had vowed that he would be better in Game 2. In the biggest moments, however, he came up empty, missing the Spurs’ final two shots and turning it over in between.
“I’m still very blurry,” Wembanyama said. “That’s the whole problem. I need to have more poise, more control over the game.”
And just like that, the Knicks are heading home in complete control of the Finals. Just like that, the Knicks are within touching distance of a championship.
Just like that, a near collapse was made to be irrelevant.
Mikal Bridges celebrates during the Knicks’ June 5 game against the Spurs. Charles WenzelbergOnly two teams had ever lost the first two games of a Finals as the home team — the 1993 Suns and the ’95 Magic. Both lost the series.
The Spurs just became the third. Overall, teams that take a 2-0 lead in the Finals are 32-5 in the series.
History is certainly on the Knicks’ side. They are just the second team to win 13 straight in the postseason, joining the 2016-17 Warriors, who won 15 straight.
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“It’s an amazing feeling,” coach Mike Brown said, “as a coach to know how mentally tough your team is no matter what the situation is in front of them.”
Brunson shot a brutal 7-for-25 from the field and had four turnovers. But he hit the biggest shots when they were needed.
A key moment also halted that 14-0 Spurs run.
The Knicks, who have been excellent with their challenges all year, delivered yet again. They challenged a missed OG Anunoby 3-pointer and won, resulting in a foul and giving him three free throws instead of what would have been a turnover. He drilled all three to give the Knicks a 3-point lead with 2:37 left in the game.
Mitchell Robinson slams the ball over San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama during the third quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostThe Knicks trailed by as many as 12 points early in the second quarter, but Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges helped carry the Knicks offense and sparked the comeback in the middle two quarters as Brunson struggled. Towns had 12 points in the second quarter and was cooking Wembanyama. Bridges had a combined 20 in the second and third quarter and went 8-for-8 from the field.
Landry Shamet added 13 points and made three 3-pointers. All three went missing down the stretch, though.
And Josh Hart fouled his way to the bench and was largely a nonfactor. At the moment, though, who cares? The Knicks came into the Alamo City and punched the Spurs in the mouth. They overcame a 14-point deficit in Game 1 and a 12-point deficit along with a blown lead of their own in Game 2.
“At this stage of the season, things aren’t gonna be pretty,” Brunson said. “It’s gonna be ugly, it’s gonna be grinded out. It’s as simple as that.”
They just seem to keep figuring it out. The Finals are firmly in their hands.
