The Spurs are on the brink but still have hope! ESPN: Harper should start in G3 to free up Wembanyama

On June 6 Beijing time, the Knicks edged the Spurs 105-104 on the road, pushing the series lead to 2-0. ESPN summarized the core points of Game 2 and offered a preview for Game 3. Here is the full breakdown—

Spurs Game 2 Key Takeaways

Unlike the first game, the Spurs mounted a strong comeback effort in the latter half of Game 2. However, just when they seemed poised to overturn the deficit, Wembanyama committed a costly turnover, with the ball bouncing off Castle’s back into Brunson’s hands. With 9.5 seconds left, Brunson hit a free throw, and Wembanyama missed the game-winning shot, leaving the Spurs down 0-2.

In this playoff series, the Spurs lost the rebounding battle for the second time, falling 42-44 to the Knicks. Even after securing home-court advantage, the Knicks maintained their relentless effort. The last time the Spurs lost the rebound battle in a playoff game was in the Western Conference Finals Game 3 against the Thunder, where they were outrebounded by 15. Historically, 32 of 37 teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals went on to win the championship. With Game 3 moving to New York, the Spurs face a daunting comeback challenge.

Knicks Game 2 Key Takeaways

The Knicks won this game through veteran poise and a sense of urgency. They did not passively wait for the Spurs to make the first move, even as they withstood immense pressure from the opponent’s furious rally.

The Knicks became the third team in NBA history to win the first two games of the Finals on the road, following the 1993 Bulls and the 1995 Rockets—both of whom went on to win the championship.

Towns continued his peak form, posting a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Bridges was hot, hitting most of his attempts. The Knicks actively forced turnovers and capitalized on unforced errors while keeping their own mistakes in check. Many teams tend to relax after stealing a Game 1 on the road, but the Knicks held firm and secured another win, earning praise.

Extreme postgame rhetoric: The Finals are already over

The Knicks have now won 18 straight games over six weeks. The Spurs became the third team in NBA history to lose the first two home games of the Finals, joining the 1993 Suns and the 1995 Magic. In both of those series, the visiting Bulls and Rockets went on to win the title. Historical data heavily favors the Knicks, especially with Castle and Fox showing injury concerns late in Game 2.

Despite all these unfavorable factors, the Spurs cannot be counted out just yet. In both games, the Spurs had clear chances to win, only for the Knicks to steal victories with clutch plays in the final moments. In the previous round against the Thunder, the Spurs proved they are capable of playing tough on the road.

Led by Wembanyama, the Spurs still have cards to play. As the series shifts to Madison Square Garden, the Spurs will likely need a win in Game 3 to keep their hopes alive. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit.

Key Stats

Towns became the first Knicks player since DeBusschere in 1973 to record a 20-point double-double in a Finals road game. With the win, the Knicks extended their playoff road winning streak to 8 games, tying the 2001 Lakers for the longest single-playoff road winning streak in NBA history.

Game 3 Preview

The series moves to the electric atmosphere of Madison Square Garden. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson must dig deep into his playbook to fix the team’s offensive struggles—in both games, the Spurs led by double digits but were eventually overtaken.

A viable adjustment: Insert rookie guard Harper into the starting lineup. Harper can space the floor, freeing up Wembanyama, and also use quick transitions to attack the Knicks’ physical defense for easy points. The coach could replace forward Champagnie (to boost playmaking) or Fox (for defensive matchup reasons). In Game 2, Harper scored 9 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, leading the team’s late surge—just falling short of a comeback.