Are the Spurs cooked? How the Knicks have slowed d...
Key takeaways
- The New York Knicks had no business winning Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
- History suggested they would lose, likely by double digits: Entering this series, road teams that won Game 1 of the Finals were just 2-16 in the ensuing Game 2, with an average minus-11.3 scoring margin.
- But that's not what transpired in San Antonio on Friday night.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The New York Knicks had no business winning Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals. They had already stolen home-court advantage from the San Antonio Spurs with a road win in Game 1, so they would have been forgiven a letdown two nights later.
History suggested they would lose, likely by double digits: Entering this series, road teams that won Game 1 of the Finals were just 2-16 in the ensuing Game 2, with an average minus-11.3 scoring margin. And the Spurs had responded to a Game 1 defeat at home in the second round, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, with a 38-point blowout win in Game 2.
But that's not what transpired in San Antonio on Friday night. Instead, the Knicks survived a late-game collapse with a 105-104 victory, extending their win streak to 13 games and bringing them just two wins away from a long-awaited championship.