Monday, June 8 2026 – 8:30 PM ET
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
ABC
I never thought the Knicks would (potentially) win a title like this. I thought it would go more like Roger Maris‘ breaking of Babe Ruth‘s single-season home run record.
Maris dealt with hair loss from the stress, death threats and a commissioner who held a news conference to push for the record to be labeled differently because the season was eight games longer than when Ruth played. He broke it in the fourth inning of the last Yankee game of the regular season.
I would have expected a Knicks title run to include multiple seven-game series, with enough twists and drama to make my hair fall out. And a few villains. Three sweeps? Insanity. (Jeremy Lin, by the way, will be attending Game 3).
The Knicks have won 13 playoff games in a row, and if they win Monday to take a 3-0 series lead, the drama left will feel more like when Mark McGwire (and Sammy Sosa) broke Maris’ record. Not if, but when.
Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Knicks Lineup
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Brunson has shot the ball poorly overall (19-for-56 from the field, including 4-for-17 from 3-point range), but has come up clutch in big moments. The Spurs’ physical defense has been relentless, often picking him up full court. Towns had a pair of double-doubles in San Antonio and could win Finals MVP if we want to get ahead of ourselves.
Spurs Lineup
PG De’Aaron Fox
SG Stephon Castle
SF Devin Vassell
PF Julian Champagnie
C Victor Wembanyama
Wemby shot the ball a lot better in Game 2 (11-for-21), but the turnover with nine seconds to go in a tie game led to Brunson sinking the winning free throw. And he missed a shot at the buzzer that would have sent the series back to New York tied at 1-1. Fox rebounded from a poor Game 1 to score 20 on 8-for-12 shooting and dish out five assists in Game 2. He still does not look as quick as he did prior to dealing with an ankle injury.
Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Game Notes
The Spurs are the third team to drop the first two games of the NBA Finals at home. The 1995 Magic were swept by the Rockets. The 1993 Suns lost to the Bulls in six. Five teams have come back from 0-2 in the finals, but those teams all lost two on the road to start the series. The last to come back from 0-2 was the 2021 Bucks.
The Knicks won the first two games at Boston in the second round of the playoffs last year and then lost Game 3 at home. They won the series in six.
Check out our MMO Roundtable picks made before the series started. Patrick Glynn is looking the best so far with his Knicks in 5 call. Mike Mayer had Spurs in 6. Can still happen, but oh dear!
Three Things to Watch For
1. The Spurs’ poise. The Garden will be ready to explode from the start, and the Spurs are led by a 22-year-old. However, I think Wemby and Co. will meet the moment. There has been speculation dating back to at least the 1990s that teams will come to MSG, be overwhelmed by the atmosphere and fold. And yet Michael Jordan, Reggie Miller, Trae Young and Tyrese Haliburton did just fine. And so did Voshon Lenard, Austin Croshere, Sam Cassell and Aaron Nesmith.
2. The whistle. The Spurs roughed up Brunson in Texas, and maybe my bias is showing, but I smelled a lot of home cooking from the refs in San Antonio. How will the game be called?
3. The joy. I love seeing Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing react at the playoff games. John Starks and Stephon Marbury look like they want to check in. If the Knicks go up 3-0, we might see happy tears.
Go NY Go!
