2026 NBA Finals Game Notes

Official Release |

Below are game notes from the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks. This page will be updated during and after each game. 

GAME 5: KNICKS 94, SPURS 90

(New York wins series 4-1.)

• BACK ON TOP: The Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973 and third overall (1970 was the other). Their 53-year gap between championships is the longest in NBA history. The previous longest gap was the Milwaukee Bucks’ 50-year gap from 1971 to 2021.

• AMONG THE BEST: The Knicks went 16-3 (.842) in the 2026 NBA Playoffs presented by Google, becoming the 10th team in NBA history to post a winning percentage of .840 or better in a single postseason. Since the First Round expanded to a best-of-seven format beginning with the 2003 postseason, the Knicks are tied with the 2024 Boston Celtics (16-3, .842) for the second-highest winning percentage in a single postseason, trailing only the 2017 Golden State Warriors (16-1, .941), whose .941 mark is the highest in playoff history.

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL RECORD: The Knicks finished the 2026 Playoffs with a point differential of +283, the highest in a single postseason in NBA history. The previous highest was +230 by the 2017 Golden State Warriors.

• ROAD SUCCESS: The Knicks won their ninth consecutive road game in the 2026 Playoffs, setting the NBA record for the longest road winning streak in a single postseason. … The Knicks tied NBA records for the most road wins in a single postseason (nine, matching the 1995 Houston Rockets) and the most road wins in an NBA Finals series (three, also achieved by seven other teams). … The Knicks’ 9-1 road record (.900) in the 2026 Playoffs ranks second among NBA champions, behind only the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (8-0).

• KNACK FOR THE COMEBACK: The Knicks are the first team since 1971 to win the NBA Finals after trailing by 10 or more points in every game of the series. … In the 2026 postseason, the Knicks went 6-2 when trailing by 10 or more points at some point in the game, while all other teams went 15-74 in those instances.

• HARDWARE HAUL: The Knicks are the first team to win both the Emirates NBA Cup and the NBA championship in the same season.

• CLOSEOUT SPECIALISTS: The Knicks finished the 2026 postseason 4-0 in closeout games, winning all four games on the road.

• JALEN BRUNSON: Brunson was named the NBA Finals MVP, earning the Bill Russell Trophy. He received all 11 votes from a media panel covering the series. … Brunson (45 points) set a Knicks franchise record for points in an NBA Finals game, surpassing Willis Reed’s mark of 38 points, set in Game 3 in 1970. … Brunson is the fourth player in NBA history to score 45 or more points in an NBA Finals-clinching game, joining Bob Pettit (50 in 1958), Giannis Antetokounmpo (50 in 2021) and Michael Jordan (45 in 1998). Brunson and Jordan are the only players to do it on the road. … Brunson’s 163 points in the series are the most by a Knicks player in a single NBA Finals.

• DYLAN HARPER: Harper (25 points) is the first rookie to score 25 or more points in an NBA Finals game since the Phoenix Suns’ Richard Dumas in 1993 (Game 5). … Harper (21 points in Game 4 and 25 points in Game 5) is the fourth rookie in NBA history to record back-to-back games with 20 or more points in the NBA Finals, joining Joe Fulks (1947), Tom Heinsohn (1957) and Alvan Adams (1976).

• VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: Wembanyama recorded five blocks in the first half, tied for the most blocks in an NBA Finals half in the play-by-play era (since 1998). He is the sixth player to accomplish the feat, joining Shaquille O’Neal (6/8/01), Tim Duncan (6/15/03), Ben Wallace (6/14/05), Dwight Howard (6/11/09) and Serge Ibaka (6/5/19). The last player with five blocks in the first half of an NBA Finals game was the Orlando Magic’s Howard in Game 4 in 2009.

• FIRST QUARTER: The Knicks scored 13 points in the first quarter, the second-fewest points in the first quarter of an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era (since 1998). The fewest is 11 points by the Golden State Warriors against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first quarter of Game 6 in 2016. … The Spurs (23) and Knicks (13) combined for 36 points in the first quarter, the fewest combined points in the first quarter of an NBA Finals game since Game 7 in 2013 (34 — Miami Heat 18 and Spurs 16).

GAME 4: KNICKS 107, SPURS 106

(New York leads series 3-1.)

• HISTORIC COMEBACK: The Knicks overcame a 29-point deficit to win Game 4, the largest comeback on record in NBA Finals history. … The Knicks trailed by 17 points with just under nine minutes remaining. Before tonight, since 1971, teams trailing by at least 17 points at any point in the final nine minutes of regulation of an NBA Finals game had never come back to win (0-96 record). … The Knicks trailed by 27 points at halftime. Before tonight, during the shot clock era (since 1955), teams trailing by at least 27 points at halftime of a playoff game had never come back to win (0-58).

• GAME-WINNER: OG Anunoby’s tip-in marked the 10th game-winning field goal in the NBA Finals with three seconds or less remaining since 1971. It also marked the second consecutive NBA Finals to feature such a shot, after Tyrese Haliburton’s Game 1 winner in 2025.

• ONE-POINT HISTORY: Spurs-Knicks is the second NBA Finals series in which multiple games have been decided by one point (Games 2 and 4), joining the 1975 Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Washington Bullets (Games 2 and 4).

• 3-1 FINALS: The Knicks are the 39th team to take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. In the previous 38 instances, the team leading 3-1 went on to win the NBA championship 37 times – 20 times in five games, 15 times in six games and two times in seven games. The only comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals came in 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors in seven games.

• JALEN BRUNSON AND OG ANUNOBY: Jalen Brunson (36 points) and OG Anunoby (33 points) became the first pair of Knicks teammates ever to score 30+ points in the same NBA Finals game. … Brunson’s 36 points tied the third most by a Knick in a Finals game, trailing only 38- and 37-point performances by Willis Reed (Game 3 and Game 1 in 1970, respectively). … Brunson is the first Knick to record three 30-point games in a single NBA Finals series. … Anunoby set playoff career highs with 33 points and seven three-pointers. … Brunson and Anunoby combined to outscore the Spurs 36-30 in the second half.

• KNICKS’ DEFENSE: New York held San Antonio to 30 points in the second half, tied for the second-fewest points in any NBA Finals half in the play-by-play era (since the 1998 Finals).

• THREE-POINT RECORD: The Spurs set an NBA Finals record for three-pointers made in a half with 14 in the first half. The previous record was 13 by the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors in in the first half of Game 4 in 2017.

• HALFTIME LEAD: The Spurs’ 27-point halftime lead (76-49) is the largest halftime lead by a true road team in NBA Finals history. In Game 6 of the 2020 NBA Finals in the Orlando bubble, the Los Angeles Lakers were the designated road team when they led the Miami Heat by 28 points at halftime (64-36).

• SPURS’ START: The Spurs scored 41 points in the first quarter, tied for the second-most points in the first quarter of an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era. The highest-scoring Finals first quarter in the play-by-play era is 49 points by the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 in 2017. … The Spurs scored 76 points in the first half, the second-most points in any half of an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play area. The highest-scoring Finals half in the play-by-play era is 86 points by the Cavaliers against the Warriors in Game 4 in 2017.

• DYLAN HARPER: Harper scored 21 points, tying the highest-scoring NBA Finals game by a rookie reserve since the 1971 Finals (the first year games started were fully recorded). Elden Campbell also scored 21 points off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls. … Harper now has 300 points in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, becoming the seventh rookie to score 300+ points in a single postseason. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with 352 points in 1970.

GAME 3: SPURS 115, KNICKS 111

(New York leads series 2-1.)

• ROAD RULE: The road team has won the first three games of an NBA Finals series for just the second time. The only other instance came in the 1993 Finals, when Chicago won Games 1 and 2 in Phoenix before the Suns won Game 3 in Chicago.

• STREAK SNAPPED: The Knicks’ 13-game winning streak ended. It ranks as the second-longest winning streak in a single postseason in NBA history, trailing only the 2016-17 Warriors’ 15-game streak. …. The Knicks went 46 days between losses, from April 23 to June 8.

• VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: Wembanyama (32 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists) is the second-youngest player to record 30+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in an NBA Finals game (22 years, 155 days old), trailing only Magic Johnson (20 years, 276 days old). … Wembanyama is the first opposing player to record 30+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden.  … Wembanyama has posted the most blocked shots in a player’s first postseason (70) since blocks were first recorded in the 1973-74 season, passing Dikembe Mutombo (69 in 1994).

• YOUNG DUO: Victor Wembanyama (32 points) and Stephon Castle (23 points) are the first pair of teammates age 22 or younger to each score 20+ points in an NBA Finals game.

• GAME 3 NOTE: With San Antonio’s victory, teams that lose the first two games of an NBA Finals series are now 23-15 in Game 3.

• BOUNCING BACK: With its Game 3 victory after dropping Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals, San Antonio has still not lost three consecutive games at any point this season.

• 42-POINT OUTBURST: The Knicks scored 42 points in the second quarter, tied for the third-most points in any quarter of an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era. The record in the play-by-play era is Cleveland’s 49-point first quarter against Golden State in Game 4 of the 2017 Finals.

• FINALS BACK AT MSG: The NBA Finals returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time in 27 years.  The last Finals game at MSG took place on June 25, 1999, when the Spurs defeated the Knicks 78-77 in Game 5 to clinch their first NBA championship.

GAME 2: KNICKS 105, SPURS 104

(New York leads series 2-0.)

• 2-0 IN FINALS: Teams that win the first two games of the NBA Finals have gone on to win the series 86.5% of the time (32-5).

• 2-0 ON THE ROAD: The Knicks are the third team in NBA Finals history to win the first two games of a series on the road, joining the 1992-93 Chicago Bulls (vs. Phoenix Suns) and the 1994-95 Houston Rockets (vs. Orlando Magic). The Bulls and Rockets both went on to win the NBA championship – Chicago in six games and Houston in four games.

• 13 STRAIGHT: The Knicks won their 13th consecutive playoff game, the second-longest winning streak in a single postseason in NBA history. The 2016-17 Golden State Warriors hold the record with 15 straight wins.

• ROAD RECORD TIED: The Knicks won their eighth consecutive road playoff game, tying the 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers for the longest road winning streak in a single postseason.

• TWIN COMEBACKS: The Knicks are the first team to win the first two games of an NBA Finals series after trailing by 10+ points in each game since the Golden State Warriors in 1975 (vs. Washington Bullets). … The Knicks are the sixth team since 1971 to win back-to-back NBA Finals games after trailing by 10+ points in each game. They are the first to accomplish the feat since the Miami Heat in 2012 (vs. Oklahoma City Thunder).

• DOWN TO THE WIRE: The Spurs-Knicks series marks the first NBA Finals since at least 1971 to feature lead changes in the final two minutes of both Games 1 and 2.

• SPURS AT HOME: The Spurs lost back-to-back home games for the first time since Dec. 29 of the regular season (losses to the Utah Jazz on Dec. 27 and Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 29).

• JALEN BRUNSON: Brunson (20 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals) is the 10th player  to record 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 5+ steals in an NBA Finals game since steals were first recorded in the 1973-74 season. He is the first Knicks player to reach those marks in a Finals game.

GAME 1: KNICKS 105, SPURS 95

(New York leads series 1-0.)

• GAME 1 HISTORY: Teams that win Game 1 of the NBA Finals have gone on to win the series 69.6% of the time (55-24). … Teams that win Game 1 of the NBA Finals on the road have gone on to win the series 42.1% of the time (8-11).

• STREAKING KNICKS: The Knicks won their 12th consecutive playoff game, tying the 1998-99 Spurs for the second-longest winning streak in a single postseason in NBA history. The record is 15 consecutive victories by the 2016-17 Warriors. … The Knicks won their seventh consecutive road playoff game, tying six other teams for the second-longest streak in a single postseason. The 2000-01 Lakers hold the NBA record with eight consecutive road victories.

• JALEN BRUNSON: Brunson (30 points) scored the second-most points by a Knicks player in his first NBA Finals game, trailing only Willis Reed (37 points) in 1970 Game 1.

• JOSH HART: Hart (15 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals) is the second player to record 15+ points, 6+ assists and 4+ steals in an NBA Finals game since steals were first recorded in 1973-74, joining Larry Bird (15 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 steals in 1986 Game 3). … Hart is the first Knicks player to record 15+ points and 5+ assists in an NBA Finals game since Dave DeBusschere in 1972 Game 1 (18 rebounds, 6 assists).

• GAME 1 COMEBACKS: The Knicks came back from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to win Game 1. This marks the second straight year that a team overcame a deficit of 14 or more points in the second half to win Game 1. Last year, the Pacers came back from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Thunder.

• KNICKS DEFENSE: The Knicks have now held the Spurs to season-low point totals in both the playoffs (tonight) and regular season (89 on March 1).

• DYLAN HARPER: Harper increased his total in the 2026 playoffs to 251 points, setting a Spurs franchise record for points by a rookie in a single postseason. He passed David Robinson (243 in 1990). … Harper (16 points) set the Spurs rookie record for most points in an NBA Finals game, passing Manu Ginóbili (12 in 2003 Game 5). … Harper’s 10 first-quarter points were the most by a rookie in the first quarter of an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era (since the 1998 Finals). Only two other rookies have scored 10+ points in any quarter of a Finals game in the play-by-play era: Miami’s Kendrick Nunn (14 points, fourth quarter, 2020 Game 1) and Tyler Herro (12 points, fourth quarter, 2020 Game 4).

• JULIAN CHAMPAGNIE: Champagnie set a Spurs franchise record for threes in an NBA Finals half with five in the first half. He finished with five threes, one shy of the record for a player in his first NBA Finals game (Al Horford, six in Game 1 2022).