That didn’t take long. 

While the 2026 NBA Finals may yet deliver a classic match-up between a young team with designs on reaching its destiny, like, yesterday, and an older, more seasoned group trying to reverse six decades of history, the trajectory of the series has already bent in unexpected ways. 

By coming into San Antonio and grinding out a convincing 105-95 win over the Spurs on Wednesday, the New York Knicks not only stole Game 1 with a 24-point swing in the second half, coming back from down 14 in the third quarter, they did it while not even playing that well. 

The well-oiled juggernaut that had won 11 straight playoff games against the Eastern Conference and posted an unprecedented 19.5 net rating on the way looked rusty at points against San Antonio, as might be expected coming off an eight-day layoff. They shot just 41.5 per cent from the floor and 30.6 from three, and the 105 points they scored was their lowest output of the playoffs. But it hardly mattered. 

They stumbled briefly as the Spurs used an 9-0 run sparked by a Victor Wembanyama triple late in the fourth quarter to go up by one with 1:52 to play, but the Knicks got a quick three from Jalen Brunson and another jumper from their catalyst to finish the game on their own 11-0 run. 

When the game was there for the taking, the Spurs looked young, especially Wembanyama, the emerging superstar who wasn’t really able assert himself at either end when required. He finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in his NBA Finals debut, but shot 7-of-21 from the floor and coughed up six turnovers.  The Knicks were happy to allow the versatile seven-foot-five big man to demonstrate his perimeter skills to only limited effect. 

By falling behind 1-0 on their home floor, the Spurs surrendered any momentum they may have gained from eliminating the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. Now they have to find a way to blunt the Knicks' 12-game post-season win streak or risk heading to New York down 2-0

Game 2 is Friday (Sportsnet........

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