The New York Knicks went into San Antonio and won Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals, 105-95, leaving the Spurs in a difficult position heading into Friday's Game 2. Jalen Brunson scored 30 points, though he shot just 12-for-31 from the field. The Knicks held the Spurs to 40 points in the second half and 36 percent shooting for the game.
According to CBS Sports, the Knicks have not lost since April 23. Their only two postseason losses this year came in a pair of one-point games.
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs now face a must-win feel for Game 2. If San Antonio falls behind 2-0, the series shifts to Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, where the Knicks have been dominant. Mitchell Robinson is listed as probable for New York with a hand injury.
Tipoff for Game 2 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday. San Antonio is a 6.5-point favorite on FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under for total points scored is set at 217.5.
In Game 1, the total came in well under that number. Only 200 combined points were scored. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, is projecting 215 combined points for Game 2 and is backing the Under again.
The model entered the 2026 NBA Finals on a 26-10 run on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. It is projecting Brunson to lead the Knicks again with 25 points and five Knicks players to score in double figures. Wembanyama is projected to lead San Antonio with 29 points, one of six Spurs expected to reach double figures.
The model is also backing the Knicks to cover as 6.5-point underdogs, projecting New York to cover in 55 percent of simulations.
One CBS Sports NBA analyst flagged a player prop worth watching. Josh Hart dealt with early foul trouble in Game 1 and played only 27 minutes, but still finished with six assists. "He is averaging 33 minutes a game in the playoffs, so if he can avoid foul trouble, we could see even more of him in Game 2," SportsLine NBA expert Mike Barner said. "He has a ton of efficient shooters around him, which has helped him record at least five assists in six of his last nine games."
The Knicks are putting together one of the more dominant stretches in NBA postseason history. Twelve straight wins is an extraordinary run at any point in the season, and doing it in the playoffs against the best remaining competition makes it more notable.
Game 2 tips off Friday night with the Spurs needing a win before the series moves to New York.
