Knicks Stay Grounded Despite Historic Finals Start as Series Shifts to New York

The New York Knicks are refusing to get carried away after moving within touching distance of an NBA championship, insisting their focus remains firmly on the next challenge despite taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

New York edged the Spurs 105-104 in another dramatic Finals encounter on Friday, extending a remarkable postseason run and strengthening belief among fans that the franchise could be on course for its first title since 1973.

The victory placed the Knicks in exclusive company. They became only the third team in NBA history to win the first two games of the Finals on the road, joining Michael Jordan’s 1993 Chicago Bulls and the 1995 Houston Rockets. Both of those teams went on to win the championship.

Yet inside the Knicks locker room, there is little interest in discussing history or celebrating prematurely.

“Every single day we chip away and try to be the best that we can be,” Knicks star Jalen Brunson said after the win.

Brunson emphasized that New York’s approach will not change despite the favorable position in the best-of-seven series.

“Even with the series (the way) it is now, next game, mindset has to be 0-0 again,” he said. “It’s just how it has to be. You can’t be comfortable. You can’t be satisfied with anything. Just got to continue to push forward.”

The Knicks have now won 13 consecutive playoff games, the second-longest postseason winning streak in league history. Their success has sparked a wave of excitement across New York City, where demand for tickets to Games 3 and 4 at Madison Square Garden has surged.

Thousands of supporters gathered outside Madison Square Garden for a Game 2 watch party, highlighting the growing anticipation surrounding the team’s championship push. The celebrations, however, also brought disorder, with authorities reporting multiple arrests and an assault on a police officer outside the arena.

Despite the excitement surrounding the franchise, New York expects a fierce response from a Spurs team that has repeatedly defied expectations this season. Led by 22-year-old French star Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio posted one of the league’s best regular-season records and eliminated defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference finals series.

“Knowing them, there’s going to be another level,” Brunson said. “We have to be prepared and be ready to match it and play for 48 minutes.”

The Spurs remain confident they can recover from the early deficit.

“It was going to take everything to win the series anyway,” guard Stephon Castle said. “Putting ourselves in this type of predicament is going to be tough, but I don’t think it’s anything we can’t handle.”

With the series shifting to New York, both teams believe the battle is far from over.