New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (R) reacts to San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama after making a dunk during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday in San Antonio. Photo by Adam Davis/EPA
June 6 (UPI) -- New York Knicks players watched a 14-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate, but held onto their defensive intensity in the final seconds to beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday in San Antonio.
Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns wrestled Victor Wembanyama for the majority of the 105-104 triumph. Wembanyama, who totaled just seven points in the first half, netted 22 in the second to spark the comeback, but missed a game-winning shot attempt at the final buzzer.
"The reason we won this game is because we gave ourselves a lead," Towns said on the ABC broadcast. "We played hard. We got ourselves a lead. Something we'd done so well in this playoffs, we've gotten leads and held the lead.
Today, the Spurs fought. They got themselves back into the game, with a chance to win. The grit, the resilience, New York City showed up. The fans showed up. The energy showed up. We found a way to get it done."
