The San Antonio Spurs took a seven-point lead into halftime and extended it to double digits during the second half of their Game 1 NBA Finals matchup against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
However, a rally led by superstar Jalen Brunson put New York in position to steal a game on the road - and that’s exactly what the Knicks did, pulling away for a 105-95 victory.
Brunson finished with a game-high 30 points, while Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama recorded 26 points and 12 rebounds. However, Wembanyama struggled with his efficiency, shooting just 6-for-21 from the field and committing six turnovers.
After the game, Wembanyama acknowledged that he didn’t play up to his standards, but made it clear he isn’t concerned about San Antonio falling behind 1-0 in the series.
“I’m gonna figure it out. I was bad tonight. It’s not more complicated than that,” Wembanyama said.
He later added, “We’ve been down in a series before … I mean, I’m not worried in the slightest.”
The Spurs won Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but followed it up by losing the next two games, including their first home game of the series in Game 3.
They also trailed that series 3-2 at one point, so they’ve played with their backs against the wall before. However, Game 2 on Friday night will be pivotal if they hope to avoid falling into a 2-0 series deficit before traveling to New York.
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