Knicks stun Spurs

To argue that the Knicks stole Game One of the National Basketball Association Finals would be to understate the obvious. For much of the contest, the script appeared to be unfolding as expected. The Spurs had homecourt advantage, the fresher superstar in Victor Wembanyama, and the momentum of a stirring seven-game triumph over the imposing Thunder. They led by as many as 14 points in the third quarter and seemed poised to validate conventional wisdom’s view of them as the favorites. When the final buzzer sounded at Frost Bank Center, however, they walked away with heads bowed, victimized by a closing 0-11 run and a 95-105 defeat.

The difference, as it has invariably been throughout the Knicks’ postseason campaign, was Jalen Brunson. His final line (30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter) only partially captures his influence. He spent much of the evening battling a physical Spurs defense, misfiring from distance and absorbing punishment on ill-fated drives. Then came winning time. A tied game midway through the final canto turned into a personal showcase of composure. He hit the shots that mattered, controlled the tempo when possessions became precious, and reminded all and sundry why he has emerged as one of the league’s premier closers. In a championship series debut featuring the towering presence of Wembanyama, he ultimately dictated proceedings.

Which is not to say the Knicks won solely because of their captain. Karl-Anthony Towns delivered 18 points and 12 rebounds while keeping Wembanyama at bay. Josh Hart secured 15 caroms, doled out six dimes, and generated disruptive energy with trademark grit. They absorbed multiple Spurs charges and still managed to stay within striking distance. And by the time the latter’s offense stalled in the payoff period, they had already established ideal conditions for a comeback. Once again, their victory as much about persistence as about brilliance, arguably more valuable with the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the line.

Meanwhile, the Spurs were left to deal with an uncomfortable truth. Wembanyama’s Finals debut may have been statistically impressive, but efficiency proved elusive; he put up 26 markers and 12 boards, but he needed 21 shots to do so, and those around him failed to compensate when the Knicks tightened the screws defensively. They managed just two three-pointers in the second half all told. Fatigue may be too convenient of an explanation, but there can be no ignoring the contrast. One entered the Finals after extended rest; the other still carried the emotional residue of a conference finals war that went the distance.

And so a series that already carries echoes of 1999 has acquired an intriguing new layer. The Knicks needed only one breakthrough to wrest homecourt advantage away from the Spurs, and they got it. Never mind that they scrapped and clawed their way to triumph. History will not remember whether the win was elegant, but that it rewarded them with control of the series. In June, style points are fleeting. Meanwhile, maximized opportunities tend to linger.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.