NBA Finals Game 2 Bold Predictions: How Spurs Can Even Series With Knicks

When the Knicks took a historic 11-game winning streak into the NBA Finals, it was presumed that was the likely end of the road. New York ran through its Eastern Conference opponents, but continuing the heater against a Western Conference power on the road was a different beast.

Jalen Brunson & Co. proved emphatically that the Knicks’ postseason run was for real, however, as they walked into San Antonio and stole Game 1 from the Spurs in an electric 105–95 win. New York outscored San Antonio by 17 points in the second half and erased a 14-point deficit midway through the third quarter thanks to Brunson’s barrage in the fourth quarter and Josh Hart’s hustle plays, plus 35 points combined out of Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby.

Victor Wembanyama was inefficient from the floor as he shot 6-for-21, but he still ended with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Julian Champagnie, one of San Antonio’s playoff heroes, hit five threes for 15 points in the first half. That brought an obvious adjustment for Knicks coach Mike Brown and his defense held Champagnie to just one point in the second half as New York made its run.

Still, the Spurs were able to make a run and take back the lead with just under two minutes left in the game, but the Knicks scored the final 11 points of the night to keep the win streak alive and net the franchise its first NBA Finals win in 27 years. That makes Game 2 all the more critical for the Spurs who hope to avoid a 2–0 hole before the series shifts to New York for Games 3 and 4 in front of what’s guaranteed to be a raucous crowd at Madison Square Garden.

Ahead of Game 2 in San Antonio, here are three bold predictions, which includes a pick for the game:

Mikal Bridges gets it going from deep for the Knicks

Bridges was held to nine points and he didn’t even attempt a three-pointer in New York’s Game 1 victory. He’s had low-volume games from deep over the postseason and that’s not necessarily an issue for the Knicks with Brunson, Towns, Anunoby and even Landry Shamet off the bench rolling offensively. However, after Brunson’s 30-point night where he scored 13 in the fourth quarter alone, he’s in for even more defensive pressure. That could include Anunoby and Towns, too, as Anunoby had 12 himself in the fourth quarter. Hart rarely provides the offense, although he did go off for 26 points in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers.

That leaves Bridges as a potential beneficiary of Spurs coach Mitch Johnson’s adjusted game plan and he can make San Antonio pay if he’s on from three-point land. He shot 37.1% from three on over five attempts per game this season. He even had a year where he shot 42.5% from deep, which came in 2021 with the Suns as he aided Phoenix in its Finals run. That year, he had a 27-point showing in Game 2 as the Suns took a 2–0 lead on the Bucks. That was a long time ago and Bridges has a different role in New York’s offense, but he’s been here before and has the ability to capitalize if he becomes somewhat forgotten by the Spurs’ defense.

De’Aaron Fox bounces back with best scoring game since second round

Fox struggled in Game 1 with seven points on 3-for-13 shooting from the floor and 0-for-4 from three-point range. He’s dealt with a high ankle sprain that kept him out of the first two games of the Western Conference finals against the Thunder, but he hasn’t been his usual self since he returned for Game 3 as he’s played through the injury. He had a nice game in Game 7 against Oklahoma City with 15 points as he knocked down numerous big shots that helped the Spurs secure a trip to the Finals.

However, he averaged just 11.2 points per game in five showings during the Western Conference finals, well below his average of 18.6 points a night from the regular season. He scored 20.2 points per game in the first-round series against the Trail Blazers and 17.7 against the Timberwolves in the second round. Fox had four 20-point games over the first two rounds, but has yet to score more than 15 since he returned for Game 3 against the Thunder. Although the sprain has likely held him back, he still looks like one of the quickest players on the floor—he just needs the shots to drop. He’s a veteran leader amongst the young Spurs and as he’s been one of the NBA’s best scorers since he stepped into the league, he can’t be overlooked for a big night in the Finals.

Dylan Harper’s play and emergence as a rookie hasn’t made Fox’s downtrend a huge deal, but more scoring from the All-Star guard will only help the cause and free Wembanyama for easier looks.

Spurs even the series with dominant showing

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will try to even the NBA Finals during Game 2 against the Knicks | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

It’s no secret that the surprising defeat in Game 1 raised the stakes for Friday’s Game 2 on San Antonio’s end. A 2–0 hole before the series goes to Madison Square Garden would feel insurmountable, even if the Spurs will always have the best player on the floor in Wembanyama. The French phenom uses every bit of adversity as fire and I think he takes over in Game 2 to ensure the series is evened as it heads to New York.

Of course, the Knicks will still try to limit Wembanyama as much as possible which puts a lot of pressure on Champagnie, Fox, Harper and Stephon Castle to contribute in a strong way. However, true superstars rise to the occasion when their team needs it most and Wembanyama has shown us his big-game presence throughout the Spurs’ postseason run. He looked dejected, shaking his head in disbelief as he walked back to the locker room after the stunning Game 1 loss. He looked as if he won’t let that happen again. And the thing with Wembanyama is, he has the individual power to do so.

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