Towns, Knicks put Spurs on ropes; lead 2-0 in NBA Finals

Karl-Anthony Towns has been where Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are now: a talented bunch that is trying to get over the hump but keeps making errors to land in impossible situations.

Towns’ experience, forged through some recent playoff failures, seems to be driving the bus for the New York Knicks, who held off a late surge by the Spurs on Friday night for a 105-104 win in Game 2 at Frost Bank Center and a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals.

Thanks to Towns’ consistency on both ends of the floor, the Knicks are two games away from making history. New York joined the 1993 Chicago Bulls and 1995 Houston Rockets as the only teams to win the first two games of the Finals on the road. Both of those clubs came away as champions.

If the Knicks follow that script, their thrilling Game 2 win will be remembered as a catalyst for winning their first NBA title since 1973.

Towns wasn’t on the floor for Wembanyama’s last shot, a 20-foot jumper that couldn’t find the net before the buzzer sounded. Mitchell Robinson guarded Wembanyama there and on another critical possession in which his inexperience seemed to show.

But Towns was on the floor when Wembanyama grabbed a rebound with 11.8 seconds left and the score tied at 104. The Spurs could have run the clock down for the final shot, but Wembanyama threw a pass to Stephon Castle when Castle wasn’t looking, leading to Jalen Brunson retrieving the loose ball and being fouled by Wembanyama. Brunson made the front end of two free throws, which decided the outcome.

Towns scored 21 points with 13 rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes. Wembanyama scored 29 points, including 10 in the final quarter when the Spurs rebounded from a 14-point deficit to take a two-point lead with 57 seconds left. (ESPN)