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The New York Knicks took Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals on the road. However, we've all seen what the Spurs are capable of. Remember when the Minnesota Timberwolves took Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals? The Spurs came out and beat Minnesota by 38 the next time out.Of course, the Knicks are on a whole other level right now. Not only have they won 12 straight games, but only one of those games (Game 2 vs. Philadelphia) saw the opposing team finish within single digits of the Knicks.Regardless, Game 2 is a pivotal matchup for both teams. Only five teams in history have ever recovered from a 2-0 series deficit in the NBA Finals. Here's how to watch the Knicks and Spurs duke it out in Game 2.How to watch NBA Finals Game 2Date: Friday, June 5Time: 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. CT)Where: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio)TV: ABCStream: Fubo, YouTube TVStream the NBA Finals with FuboKnicks vs. Spurs Game 2 starting lineupsNew York KnicksSG Mikal BridgesSF Josh HartPG Jalen BrunsonPF OG AnunobyC Karl-Anthony TownsSan Antonio SpursSG Stephon CastleSF Devin VassellPG De'Aaron FoxPF Julian ChampagnieC Victor WembanyamaHow important is Game 2 of the NBA Finals?Game 2 is of the utmost importance for both teams. For the Knicks, a 2-0 series advantage would be massive considering only five teams in NBA history have ever won the Finals after losing both Games 1 and 2. Here are the teams that came back from 0-2 deficits:2021: Milwaukee Bucks over Phoenix Suns2016: Cleveland Cavaliers over Golden State Warriors2006: Miami Heat over Dallas Mavericks1977: Portland Trail Blazers over Philadelphia 76ers1969: Boston Celtics over Los Angeles LakersThe Knicks just winning Game 1 is also a huge advantage. Across history, teams that win Game 1 go on to win the title 77.8% of the time.NBA Finals Game 2 predictionsUSA TODAY's NBA experts seems pretty certain that the San Antonio Spurs will even the series against the New York Knicks Friday night. Here are predictions from the staff:Jon Hoefling: Spurs 121, Knicks 107Lorenzo Reyes: Spurs 112, Knicks 106Marcus Smith: Spurs 117, Knicks 109Mark Giannotto: Spurs 110, Knicks 104Scooby Axson: Spurs 121, Knicks 105Knicks vs. Spurs odds, linesOdds via BetMGM as of 5:55 p.m. ETNBA Finals Game 2 oddsSpread: Spurs (-6.5)Moneyline: Spurs (-250); Knicks (+200)Over/Under: 217.5Odds to win NBA FinalsAfter taking Game 1 of the series, the Knicks have leap-frogged the Spurs as favorites to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.Knicks (-140)Spurs (+118)Is Mitchell Robinson playing tonight in Game 2 of NBA Finals?New York Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson, who suffered a broken right pinky finger early last week, remains lone player to appear on the injury report for both the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. But Robinson has been upgraded to probable for Game 2 tonight, giving New York another big body to put on Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.Which celebs will attend Game 2 of NBA Finals?USA TODAY Sports is tracking every celebrity and former athlete that attends Game 2 of the NBA Finals as Jalen Brunson and the Knicks battle for the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in San Antonio. That includes Timothée Chalamet, who documented how he iced his knees after his beloved Knicks won Game 1.Jalen Brunson has a new nickname. Here's how he earned it.They call him "Captain Clutch" for a reason.After Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson erupted in the fourth quarter Wednesday, June 3, to propel New York to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs, his reputation as one of the premier clutch players of this generation is only growing, Lorenzo Reyes writes.The one thing missing from his résumé in the clutch, however, is an NBA title. And with the Knicks now just three wins away from that, presuming more close games are coming, a championship would instantly catapult Brunson to the top of the list of his contemporaries. Whether it’s alongside two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or in line with aging stars like Stephen Curry or even compared to some of the game’s icons like Michael Jordan, Brunson, 29, would reach a new level if the Knicks win their first title in 53 years.▶ Click here to read Lorenzo Reyes' full column on Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson.Jalen Brunson leads Knicks to Game 1 win over SpursJalen Brunson drops 30 as the Knicks rally past the Spurs in Game 1, overcoming early injury scares in a thrilling NBA Finals opener.Julian Champagnie’s rise from unwanted to NBA Finals contributorJulian Champagnie is a fascinating figure in the 2026 NBA Finals because he's the only player in the series who grew up in New York and then went to college in New York — and he happens to now play for the San Antonio Spurs.So the fourth-year pro isn't just emerging as a valuable sharpshooter who was overlooked initially after going undrafted and being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers to begin his NBA career. He also might be a villain in his hometown if the Spurs manage to come back and win an NBA championship over the Knicks."I have a lot of friends who are New York fans and I would love to spoil their plans," Champagnie told reporters before the NBA Finals began. — Mark Giannotto▶ Click here to read more about the San Antonio Spurs forward.Where Victor Wembanyama ranks among tallest players in NBA historyAt 7-foot-4, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs poses unexpectedly big problems. Because it’s not just that Wembanyama is tall. It’s what he can do at his height and with his impossibly long 96-inch wingspan. Block shots, of course. But also dribble and shoot 3s. LeBron James referred to Wembanyama as an “Alien’’ when Wembanyama was still a French phenom who the Spurs had yet to select with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. — Josh PeterHere's how he stacks up with the tallest players in NBA history:Manute Bol, 7-7Gheorghe Muresan, 7-7Shawn Bradley, 7-6Tacko Fall, 7-6Yao Ming, 7-6Sim Bhullar, 7-5Chuck Nevitt, 7-5Pavel Podkolzin, 7-5Slavko Vranes, 7-5Mark Eaton, 7-4Priest Lauderdale, 7-4Boban Marjanovic, 7-4Ralph Sampson, 7-4Rik Smits, 7-4Victor Wembanyama, 7-4The nuns behind the Spurs' NBA Finals runThe women are expected to arrive for Game 2 of the NBA Finals as they arrived for Game 1, and for many games before that. They’ll be wearing their traditional nun’s habits and San Antonio Spurs jerseys. They’ll also be rooting (and praying) for the home team when the Spurs take on the New York Knicks at the Frost Bank Center on Friday, June 5.It makes the nuns almost as easy to spot as Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ 7-foot-4 phenom. And like Wemby and the rest of the Spurs, the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco in San Antonio have become celebrities in their own right. The Sisters adore the Spurs, and the affection appears to be mutual. — Josh Peter▶ Click here to read more about the San Antonio Spurs' most unlikely superfans.San Antonio nuns cheer and pray for Spurs playoff pushCatholic nuns from San Antonio are drawing attention as they cheer and pray for the Spurs during their playoff run to the NBA Finals.Knicks fans demand Elmo pick a side in NBA FinalsElmo tried to keep the peace ahead of the 2026 NBA Finals, but New York fans were not having it. After the "Sesame Street" star posted on X that he hoped the Knicks and Spurs would “have fun” before Game 1, fans flooded the replies demanding he pick a side – with many in New York arguing the furry red Muppet should back the hometown team. Multiple people pointed out how "Sesame Street" is set in the Big Apple:"Traitor to New York," one reaction stated."This isn't the time for sportsmanship, Elmo," one person wrote. "These streets ain't sesame."The fans didn't let up: "I'm sorry you getting cursed out for this, Elmo but you're from ... NY rep your city!!!"Elmo eventually responded to the discourse and waved the white flag in a follow-up post, "KNICKS that last message! Elmo didn’t mean to SPUR you on!" — Taylor ArdreyJalen Brunson’s NBA Finals run puts spotlight on his dad RickDavid Robinson, Tim Duncan and Jalen Brunson's father Rick Brunson were all part of the scene the last time the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs played for an NBA championship back in 1999.Rick Brunson is a Knicks assistant coach, who played for eight teams in nine NBA seasons as a point guard from 1997-2006. Unlike his All-Star son Jalen, the elder Brunson was not a powerhouse scorer, he averaged 3.2 points and 2.6 assists in 337 NBA games. But he has had a long and prosperous career as an NBA assistant. Click here to read more about Rick Brunson. — Scooby AxsonSpurs vs. Knicks during 2025-26 seasonThe Spurs and Knicks split their regular season series 1-1 this year. The Spurs won the first game between the two clubs, a 134-132 squeaker on Dec. 31, 2025, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. However, when the Knicks hosted on March 1 at Madison Square Garden, New York rolled past San Antonio, defeating the Spurs 114-89.New York won Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio, 105-95, to steal home-court advantage away from the Spurs in the series.What has changed since the Knicks and Spurs met in the NBA Cup Final?What has changed since the Knicks and Spurs met in the NBA Cup Final?The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs are meeting again on the NBA's biggest stage after facing off in the NBA Cup championship. What's changed since then, and which team has evolved the most?New York Knicks' postseason historyThe New York Knicks might have one of the biggest fanbases in basketball, but their postseason success has been lacking. Since the turn of the 21st century, the Knicks have reached the postseason on just 10 occasions, advancing past the second round three times including this year.The Knicks have not played in an NBA Finals since 1999 and have not won a championship since 1973.That said, the tide has turned recently. New York reached the Eastern Conference finals one year ago, and they have stormed through the NBA playoffs this year, winning 12 consecutive games.San Antonio Spurs' postseason historyThe Spurs are one of the most storied franchises in NBA history and were particularly dominant for a 15-yeat stretch, winning five titles between 1999 and 2014.The team is also tied for the most consecutive postseason appearances, making the playoffs 22 consecutive years between 1998 and 2019.What time does NBA Finals Game 2 start?The San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals Friday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local) at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.What TV channel is Game 2 of the NBA Finals on?ABC is broadcasting the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. The network will also air a pre-game show prior to Game 2 at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT) on Friday, June 5.How to stream Game 2 of the NBA FinalsFans can stream Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs on Fubo or with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
