New York have one hand on the trophy after going up 2-0 with a thrilling victory in Game 2 on Saturday. The 105-104 had a heap of drama and it looked like New York were going to coast to victory with another hot start to the fourth quarter to open up a 97-83 with six minutes remaining. However, it was San Antonio’s turn to go on a hot run from there, as NY gave up 14 points on the trot to allow the hosts to tie the game and they would eventually take a 102-104 lead, but Brunson then scored a clutch fadeaway over two defenders and hit one crucial free throw after a Victor Wembanyama brain explosion essentially handed New York the lead. NY then had to get one final stop to win the game, and they did exactly that, with Mitchell Robinson getting enough of a contest on a Wemby midrange jumper to see it rim out and New York leave Frost Bank Arena with a huge 2-0 lead.
With the series now heading to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4, the advantage is firmly with Brunson and co., and they again showed their versatility on Saturday to get the win. A 22-7 run midway through the game turned a 42-47 deficit into a 64-54 lead and Karl-Anthony Towns was again huge in the early goings, with 17 points and seven rebounds by halftime. Although he again quietened down offensively in the second half, his impact was still felt, as he made life hard on Wembanyama and did plenty of good work on the glass to finish with 13 rebounds. Brunson ended the game with 20 points, five rebounds, six assists and five steals but shot just 37% TS% and was targeted a lot on the defensive end in what was an up-and-down game for the star, while Mikal Bridges had another excellent game with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. OG Anunoby also shone with 17 points, two steals and two blocks and Landry Shamet hit some timely shots for his 13 points and one block.
While there were some poor plays from Wemby, including his second quarter sloppiness and his crucial late-game turnover, he was still the best player on the floor for San Antonio. The big man finished with 29 points, nine rebounds, two steals and four blocks on a night where the hosts’ bench really struggled for production. Dylan Harper was a positive again, with 15 points and six rebounds, but Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet and Harrison Barnes were all poor in their cameos off the pine. Stephon Castle was disappointing too, with just 14 points and four assists, on 43.8% TS% and with four turnovers, but De’Aaron Fox showed improvement after a forgettable Game 1, with 20 points and five assists. The team’s 19/27 free throw shooting did them no favours, and their inability to convert their chances in transition (0.83 points per play), while also finishing with just 10 second chance points, meant that they left a lot of points on the table.
It’s essentially do-or-die for San Antonio in Game 3. Fall into a 0-3 hole and their championship hopes are all but over, but win and get the series to 1-2 and, all of a sudden, there’s hope of a comeback. However, life is going to be even tougher on the road in front of what will surely be a raucous New York crowd and to see the hosts as just 2.5-point favourites is a bit of a surprise. The main factor in this small line is the aforementioned desperation that San Antonio are going to bring, but they have really struggled in the matchup against New York so far and, equally as importantly, they have been out-coached. That doesn’t fill me with hope for San Antonio getting back into this series on the road, especially as just 2.5-point underdogs.