The San Antonio Spurs lost Game 2 of the NBA Finals 105-104 to the New York Knicks on Friday night, collapsing under a pair of late-game mistakes by Victor Wembanyama that handed the Knicks a 2-0 series lead. With 9.5 seconds left in Game 2 at the AT&T Center, Wembanyama’s pass to Stephon Castle went untouched, and his final shot attempt bounced off the rim—leaving the Spurs facing an impossible task in New York for Games 3 and 4. The loss drops the Spurs to 0-2 in the series, extending their playoff drought to 20 years since their last title in 2014, while the Knicks sit at 2-0, needing one more win to force a Game 7. The Spurs now trail the Knicks 2-0 in the series, with the Knicks holding home-court advantage for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night (June 10). The loss also puts the Spurs in uncharted territory: no team has ever lost the first two games of the Finals on their home floor and still won the championship, per The New York Times.
Wembanyama’s turnovers and missed shots: How two plays cost the Spurs the game
The Spurs had clawed back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, using a 14-0 run to take a one-point lead with 9.5 seconds left. But Wembanyama’s desperation to push the ball upcourt led to a disastrous pass to Castle, who never saw it coming. As Wembanyama later admitted, the mistake was compounded by his own missed game-winning shot attempt afterward. “I threw that one away,” he said. “I messed up.”
“I’m still very blurry. That’s the whole problem. I need to have more poise, more control over the game.”
— Victor Wembanyama, via The Guardian
The pass to Castle wasn’t just a turnover—it was a strategic failure. The Spurs’ system relies on Wembanyama’s ability to read the floor and make crisp outlet passes, but under the pressure of the moment, his urgency overwhelmed his decision-making. Castle, who had been watching Wembanyama drive, later defended his teammate: “He’s made that shot a thousand times. He has a game-winner with that shot this year.” Yet when it mattered most, Wembanyama couldn’t execute. The Spurs had led the NBA in offensive efficiency (118.3 ORtg) in the playoffs, but their inability to close games has been a recurring theme. In the Conference Finals against Oklahoma City, they lost Game 5 in overtime despite holding a 3-1 series lead, per ESPN.
Wembanyama’s struggles in crunch time extend beyond this series. In the 2025 playoffs, he shot just 35.7% in the final five minutes of games, per NBA.com, and his free-throw shooting (72.2% in the regular season) dropped to 65.5% in the postseason. The Knicks’ defense, led by Karl-Anthony Towns, has exploited this weakness, forcing Wembanyama into contested shots and limiting his post-ups. In Game 2, Wembanyama attempted just 11 shots, his lowest total in a Finals game since 2024, and turned the ball over three times in the final quarter.
The Knicks capitalized immediately. Jalen Brunson, who had been lurking near the rim, snatched the loose ball and drew a foul on Wembanyama, sending him to the line for two free throws. Brunson made both, sealing the win. The Spurs had built a 104-104 tie with seconds to play, but Wembanyama’s inability to close the deal left them with nothing. The sequence of errors—first the botched pass, then the missed opportunity at the rim—left the Spurs without a second chance to salvage the victory. The loss also marked the first time in franchise history that the Spurs have blown a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in the Finals, per SI.com.
Karl-Anthony Towns: The defensive anchor who exposed Wembanyama’s weaknesses
While Wembanyama struggled, Karl-Anthony Towns delivered the performance that had been missing in the first game. The six-time All-Star dominated Wembanyama in one-on-one situations, forcing the French center into tough shots and limiting his rim advantage. According to The New York Times, Wembanyama was just 2-for-11 from the field when Towns guarded him directly, a far cry from his usual efficiency. Towns’ defensive impact was underscored by the fact that the Knicks held the Spurs to just 40.3% shooting in the paint when he was on the floor, per NBA.com.
Towns didn’t just defend Wembanyama—he outplayed him. The Knicks’ big man used his strength and positioning to disrupt Wembanyama’s post game, something the Spurs had failed to prepare for. In Game 1, Wembanyama had shot 6-for-21 and turned the ball over six times, but he had shrugged off the loss with a dismissive comment: “I’m not worried in the slightest.” After Game 2, that confidence had evaporated. Towns’ defensive dominance also forced the Spurs to adjust their offense, with Wembanyama spending more time driving to the rim rather than setting up in the post. This shift led to more turnovers and fewer high-percentage shots, per ESPN.
“That’s the most frustrating thing, to throw it away after putting in all this work.”
— Victor Wembanyama, via The Guardian
The Knicks’ defense wasn’t just about Towns. Mitchell Robinson, who had been a pest for Wembanyama in the regular season, continued to disrupt his timing with relentless on-ball pressure. Robinson, who led the Knicks in defensive stops (1.5 blocks per game in the playoffs), forced Wembanyama into six contested shots in the fourth quarter alone, per NBA.com. The Spurs’ offense, which had been so effective in the Conference Finals against Oklahoma City (119.8 ORtg), looked lost in the Finals. The Knicks, meanwhile, had won 13 straight games entering the series—the second-longest playoff winning streak in NBA history—and their identity was clear: they knew how to win in the clutch. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks averaged 112.3 points per game in the final five minutes, per SI.com, a stat that speaks to their ability to close out games.
The Spurs’ identity crisis: Can they adjust before Game 3?
The Spurs entered the Finals as the league’s most talented team, but their biggest weakness has always been consistency. They don’t have a single go-to player who can carry them in crunch time—they rely on Wembanyama’s versatility, De’Aaron Fox’s scoring, and their guards to make plays. But against the Knicks, that system has failed. The Spurs’ bench, which had been a strength in the regular season (109.2 ORtg), contributed just 13 points in Game 2, per NBA.com, as the Knicks’ defense stifled their secondary options.
In the Conference Finals, the Spurs had dominated Oklahoma City, with Wembanyama averaging 30 points and 12 rebounds per game. But the Knicks are a different beast. They don’t play like the Thunder—they don’t rely on isolation plays or easy buckets. The Knicks force Wembanyama into contested shots, make him work for every rebound, and refuse to back down. And so far, the Spurs haven’t figured out how to counter that. The loss also exposed a deeper issue: the Spurs’ lack of a true secondary playmaker. While Fox (24.3 PPG in the playoffs) and Keldon Johnson (18.7 PPG) have carried the offense, neither has the ability to create their own shot consistently in the post, per ESPN.
The loss to the Knicks wasn’t just about Wembanyama’s mistakes—it was about the Spurs’ inability to adapt. They had a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, only to squander it. They had multiple chances to close out the game, only to miss. And now, with the series shifting to Madison Square Garden, they face an even tougher challenge: playing in front of a hostile crowd that has already seen their team win two games. The Knicks’ home-court advantage in the Finals means they’ll have the support of a raucous Garden crowd for Games 3 and 4, a factor that has historically favored the home team in the NBA Finals, per The New York Times.
The Spurs’ next game is Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night (June 10), with the Knicks leading the series 2-0. The Spurs will need to adjust their defense to slow down Jalen Brunson (28.3 PPG in the playoffs) and R.J. Barrett (19.8 PPG), while also finding a way to get Wembanyama the ball in better situations. The Knicks, meanwhile, will look to build on their momentum, having won 13 straight games entering the series. Their next game is Game 3, where they’ll aim to extend their playoff winning streak to 14 games, which would tie the 1991-92 Chicago Bulls for the longest playoff winning streak in NBA history, per SI.com.
What’s next for the Spurs? The clock is ticking.
The Spurs are now in uncharted territory. No team has ever lost the first two games of the Finals on their home floor and still come back to win the championship. The Knicks, meanwhile, are riding the momentum of their longest playoff winning streak in franchise history. They’ve figured out how to stop Wembanyama, and they’ve found a way to win in the biggest moments. Wembanyama, for his part, is trying to channel his frustration into focus. After the game, he acknowledged the mistake but refused to dwell on it. “Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course,” he said. “Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely.” But words alone won’t be enough. The Spurs need to adjust their defense, tighten their execution, and find a way to get Wembanyama the ball in better situations.
“We’re digging ourselves a hole. That’s been the theme so far.”
— Victor Wembanyama, via The Guardian
Coach Gregg Popovich acknowledged the team’s struggles in the postgame press conference, emphasizing the need for better decision-making. “We’ve got to make better decisions,” Popovich said. “We’ve got to trust our system. We’ve got to trust our guys.” He also noted that the Spurs’ defense had been a major factor in their success this postseason, but they’ve allowed the Knicks to shoot 52.3% from the field in the series, per NBA.com. The Spurs’ inability to slow down the Knicks’ perimeter shooting—led by Brunson (48.5% in the series) and Barrett (42.9%)—has been a key issue.
The Spurs have one shot to right the ship: Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. If they can’t find a way to stop the Knicks’ offense and get Wembanyama the ball in the right spots, their championship dreams could be over before they even begin. The Knicks, meanwhile, will look to build on their momentum, having won 13 straight games entering the series. Their next game is Game 3, where they’ll aim to extend their playoff winning streak to 14 games, which would tie the 1991-92 Chicago Bulls for the longest playoff winning streak in NBA history, per SI.com.
For now, the Knicks are the team to beat. They’ve exposed the Spurs’ weaknesses, and they’ve found a way to win when it matters most. The question now is whether San Antonio can answer the call—or if the 2026 NBA Finals will belong to New York. The Spurs’ next game is Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night (June 10), with the Knicks leading the series 2-0. The Spurs will need to adjust their defense to slow down Jalen Brunson (28.3 PPG in the playoffs) and R.J. Barrett (19.8 PPG), while also finding a way to get Wembanyama the ball in better situations. The Knicks, meanwhile, will look to build on their momentum, having won 13 straight games entering the series.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. The Spurs are now 0-2 in the series, with the Knicks holding home-court advantage for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. The loss also puts the Spurs in uncharted territory: no team has ever lost the first two games of the Finals on their home floor and still won the championship, per The New York Times. The Knicks, meanwhile, are riding the momentum of their longest playoff winning streak in franchise history, having won 13 straight games entering the series. Their next game is Game 3, where they’ll aim to extend their playoff winning streak to 14 games, which would tie the 1991-92 Chicago Bulls for the longest playoff winning streak in NBA history, per SI.com.
