2026 NBA Finals Result: New York Knicks Gain a Huge Advantage After Game 1

Even though they were away from home and saw their number one star Jalen Brunson continuously playing through discomfort, the New York Knicks brilliantly overturned a 14-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95, jumping ahead 1-0 in the 2026 NBA Finals series.

The game started stormily for the Knicks when superstar Brunson suffered a knee issue in the first quarter after a collision with Harrison Barnes, then later twisted his ankle in the second quarter. These recurring injuries caused him great difficulty and a drop in shooting efficiency over the first three quarters. However, the class of a true star emerged when it mattered most in the final period, scoring 13 points with a series of clutch shots.

A streak of 11 consecutive points late in the game secured the 12th straight playoff victory for the New York team. Brunson finished the contest with 30 points, matching legendary Willis Reed to become one of the few players in Knicks history to score over 30 points in Game 1 of a Finals series. He also led the team to excellent control of the game, committing only one turnover in the entire second half.

On the other side of the court, "phenom" Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs recorded 26 points and 12 rebounds, but had an inefficient outing, missing 15 shots (6/21) and committing 6 turnovers. Rookie Dylan Harper played hard with 16 points off the bench, but the rest of the Spurs' reserves were too quiet, contributing only 4 points combined.

Earlier, the Spurs had led by as many as 14 points in the third quarter. However, the turning point came when Wembanyama was taken out to rest, allowing Karl-Anthony Towns (who scored 10 points in that quarter) to fully exploit the area under the basket, helping the Knicks erase the deficit before heading into the final period.

At the start of the fourth quarter, capitalizing on momentum, Jalen Brunson and precise three-pointers from OG Anunoby propelled the Knicks to a strong surge. Although the Spurs fought back fiercely to regain a 95-94 lead with just two minutes remaining, a cold-blooded three-pointer from Brunson immediately ended San Antonio's run, wrapping up Game 1 with an emotional 105-95 victory for the New York representatives.

This thrilling Game 1 win not only allowed the New York Knicks to break the opponent's home-court advantage but also served as a powerful statement of the character of a future champion. This fiery matchup will continue with Game 2, set to take place early next Saturday morning (Vietnam time) at the Frost Bank Center, where the San Antonio Spurs will surely give everything to even the score.