NBA: Josh Hart, Knicks present unique challenge for Spurs in Game 2

SAN ANTONIO — Jalen Brunson showed his usual toughness in the New York Knicks’ Game 1 win in the NBA Finals, but veteran guard Josh Hart emerged as one of the most impactful players in the series opener despite modest scoring numbers.

Hart finished with just three points after missing four of five shots from the field. However, he filled the stat sheet in other areas, finishing with 15 rebounds, six assists, and four steals as the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 105–95, on the road. He is expected to play a key role again as New York looks to extend its lead in Game 2 on Friday night.

The 6-foot-5 forward-guard also out-rebounded everyone on the floor by a wide margin, finishing three rebounds ahead of any other player, including Spurs 7-foot-4 center Victor Wembanyama.

“His energy is just relentless. It doesn’t stop,” Brunson said Thursday about Hart, his former Villanova teammate. “He’s just a big kid with an unbelievable amount of energy.”

Hart’s all-around effort helped New York extend its postseason winning streak to 12 games, tying for the second-longest streak in NBA history.

For the season, Hart has averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists across 66 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he has posted averages of 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.

Despite the numbers, Hart emphasized that his focus remains on winning rather than individual production.

“It takes humility and a willingness to sacrifice,” Hart said. “We’re in the NBA Finals—there are millions of people watching. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting recognition, wanting to score, and wanting to show what you can do on the biggest stage.”

“But that’s not everyone’s role. I know for me, that’s not my assignment. It takes time to embrace that kind of humility.”

Knicks coach Mike Brown praised Hart’s complete impact on the game beyond the box score.

“He rebounded the basketball, he was great,” Brown said. “He was strong on the weak side defensively. He affected the game in many ways. When you look at his shooting line, you wouldn’t necessarily think he was the most impactful player, but he was.”

Brunson led the Knicks offensively with 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, while also playing through injuries to his right knee and left ankle sustained in the first half.

New York closed the game strongly, finishing on an 11–0 run to seal the win and leave San Antonio struggling down the stretch.

The Spurs shot just 6-of-21 from the field in the fourth quarter and committed five turnovers during that stretch, allowing the Knicks to pull away.

San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson dismissed the idea that inexperience alone caused the late-game collapse.

“Old teams make bad decisions at the end of games too,” Johnson said. “We need to understand what led to those situations and learn from them so we can make better decisions next time.”

A major storyline for the Spurs was the inefficient performance of Wembanyama, who shot 6-of-21 from the field and committed six turnovers. The French star insisted he was not overwhelmed by the moment, despite it being his first NBA Finals appearance. He also revealed he received a message from former Spurs executive Gregg Popovich encouraging him to move forward and improve.

Wembanyama still finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocked shots.

Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox also struggled, scoring seven points on 3-of-13 shooting while frequently being tasked with defending Brunson. Fox acknowledged the need for better shooting moving forward but stressed that the series is far from over.

“It’s a long series,” Fox said. “We wanted to protect our home court, but it doesn’t always go your way. We’ll review what we need to fix and try to get a better result next time.”

— Field Level Media / Reuters