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The 2026 NBA Finals began Wednesday night in San Antonio as the New York Knicks faced Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on basketball’s biggest stage. The Frost Bank Center was electric, and the Spurs entered the series as favorites after an emotional seven-game Western Conference Finals win. What happened next was a reminder of why Jalen Brunson is one of the most difficult players in basketball to stop.
Ankle Injury Sidelines Jalen Brunson After Luke Kornet Collision in NBA Finals Game 1 (Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images)
The Knicks entered Game 1 on a long winning streak that few teams in NBA history have matched. The Knicks had not lost since Game 3 of their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, a run that included a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Brunson averaged 27.8 points, 6.7 assists, and shot 48.9 percent from the field across 13 playoff games heading into Game 1.
Brunson’s night did not start smoothly. A clip of the moment saw him confront official Scott Foster after an apparent foul went uncalled, leaving the Knicks’ star visibly furious on the court.
The incident occurred midway through the second quarter. Brunson drove to the hoop against Devin Vassell and was hit by Spurs center Luke Kornet on the way down, landing hard on his already-sore left ankle. The officials waved off the foul, and Brunson immediately turned to Foster and said his piece. It was not a quiet exchange.
“Jalen’s tough as nails,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said after the final buzzer. Brunson hit his opening three-pointer but went 0-for-6 the rest of the first quarter and was shooting 5-for-15 for 11 points at one stage. He scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to dismantle San Antonio’s late comeback attempt, finishing 12-for-31 from the field in a 105-95 win that gave the Knicks a 1-0 series lead.
Wembanyama finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds and was not the main reason for the loss. The Spurs led for stretches of three quarters and executed well enough to be in the game late. What hurt them was ball security. A critical fourth-quarter turnover from Wembanyama that led directly to a Knicks basket was highlighted by analysts after the game as the play that swung momentum for good.
Brunson’s fourth-quarter explosion surprised no one familiar with his playoff performances.Shannon Sharpe’s bold prediction that Brunson would be nearly impossible to stop in the Finals, citing his 27.8 playoff scoring average and his record of producing in elimination and high-pressure moments.
His performance also reignited a debate that had been building since the Eastern Conference Finals.Brunson has become one of the most popular Knicks of all time, a discussion that earned more weight Wednesday after his 30-point Game 1 showing surpassed all but Willis Reed’s 37-point Finals debut for New York in 1970.
The Knicks’ 12th consecutive playoff win made them only the third team in NBA history to reach that milestone, joining the 1999 Spurs and the 2015 Warriors. Both comparison teams won championships. New York last won a title in 1973, and this group has not lost since April. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds in Game 1 to give Brunson the supporting performance that made the difference.
San Antonio’s Dylan Harper scored 18 points in his NBA Finals debut, and the rookie showed no signs of being overwhelmed by the stage.
Game 2 tips off Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, again at Frost Bank Center. The Spurs remain favorites in a seven-game series, and Wembanyama’s overall level was not the problem in Game 1. For the Spurs, the big question heading into Game 2 is how to stop Brunson in the fourth quarter.
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Ankle Injury Sidelines Jalen Brunson After Luke Kornet Collision in NBA Finals Game 1 (Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images)
The Knicks entered Game 1 on a long winning streak that few teams in NBA history have matched. The Knicks had not lost since Game 3 of their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, a run that included a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Brunson averaged 27.8 points, 6.7 assists, and shot 48.9 percent from the field across 13 playoff games heading into Game 1.
Brunson’s night did not start smoothly. A clip of the moment saw him confront official Scott Foster after an apparent foul went uncalled, leaving the Knicks’ star visibly furious on the court.
The incident occurred midway through the second quarter. Brunson drove to the hoop against Devin Vassell and was hit by Spurs center Luke Kornet on the way down, landing hard on his already-sore left ankle. The officials waved off the foul, and Brunson immediately turned to Foster and said his piece. It was not a quiet exchange.
“Jalen’s tough as nails,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said after the final buzzer. Brunson hit his opening three-pointer but went 0-for-6 the rest of the first quarter and was shooting 5-for-15 for 11 points at one stage. He scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to dismantle San Antonio’s late comeback attempt, finishing 12-for-31 from the field in a 105-95 win that gave the Knicks a 1-0 series lead.
Victor Wembanyama’s Costly Turnover Was a Boon for Jalen Brunson’s Knicks
Wembanyama finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds and was not the main reason for the loss. The Spurs led for stretches of three quarters and executed well enough to be in the game late. What hurt them was ball security. A critical fourth-quarter turnover from Wembanyama that led directly to a Knicks basket was highlighted by analysts after the game as the play that swung momentum for good.
Brunson’s fourth-quarter explosion surprised no one familiar with his playoff performances.Shannon Sharpe’s bold prediction that Brunson would be nearly impossible to stop in the Finals, citing his 27.8 playoff scoring average and his record of producing in elimination and high-pressure moments.
His performance also reignited a debate that had been building since the Eastern Conference Finals.Brunson has become one of the most popular Knicks of all time, a discussion that earned more weight Wednesday after his 30-point Game 1 showing surpassed all but Willis Reed’s 37-point Finals debut for New York in 1970.
The Knicks’ 12th consecutive playoff win made them only the third team in NBA history to reach that milestone, joining the 1999 Spurs and the 2015 Warriors. Both comparison teams won championships. New York last won a title in 1973, and this group has not lost since April. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds in Game 1 to give Brunson the supporting performance that made the difference.
San Antonio’s Dylan Harper scored 18 points in his NBA Finals debut, and the rookie showed no signs of being overwhelmed by the stage.
Game 2 tips off Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, again at Frost Bank Center. The Spurs remain favorites in a seven-game series, and Wembanyama’s overall level was not the problem in Game 1. For the Spurs, the big question heading into Game 2 is how to stop Brunson in the fourth quarter.
Continue reading...
