Brunson vows not to let his guard down after Knicks' comeback sinks Spurs
It was the seventh double-digit comeback in the second half of a playoff game by the Knicks in the past two postseasons and the fourth in these playoffs.
A man walks past a sculpture depicting Victor Wembanyama.
Jalen Brunson led another comeback win for New York on Wednesday, but said the Knicks cannot afford to relax after posting a 105-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Brunson scored 13 of his 30 points in the final quarter, enabling the Knicks to rally from a 14-point deficit and earn their 12th straight win after sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals and finals.
It was the seventh double-digit comeback in the second half of a playoff game by the Knicks in the past two postseasons and the fourth in these playoffs.
That includes their comeback after trailing by 22 points with less than eight minutes to go in their opener against Cleveland.
"I think we know what we have to do," Brunson said of the Knicks' ability to dig in when they're down. "I think we're a pretty together group and still just continue to fight and have each others' back and just know that we're going to keep chipping away, chipping away.
"It's a credit to the mentality we have as a team," he said.
His teammate, Karl-Anthony Towns, said it's a mentality that reflects that of New York City.
"It's something that's in the city," Towns said. "You feel that energy in the city, the grit, the grind, the hard work you've got to put in to make it in the city.
"I think we reflect all our fans and their lifestyles and what it takes to make it in New York City when we step on that court in a Knicks jersey."
Seeking their first title since 1973
Although they got an important win on the road, Brunson said he expects a young Spurs team, led by French star Victor Wembanyama, to react strongly.
"They come ready to play more than any other team we've faced," he said. "We have the utmost respect for them. We know that we've got to be ready for game two.
"We can't just be satisfied," he added after the Knicks leaned on defense to pull out the victory despite a lackluster offensive showing. "We have a lot of things we can do to be better."
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