Wembanyama blew all efforts, Towns deserves all the praise.

In Game 2 of the Finals, the Knicks went up 2-0 on the road over the Spurs. This was a wildly fluctuating contest; neutral fans would surely enjoy such a storyline—both teams clawed back from double-digit deficits, the game came down to the final moments, and then Wembanyama messed it all up.

Those still sour about the Western Conference Finals Game 2 officiating should have a similar reaction to today's calls. Down 0-1, the home-court advantage in Game 2 was bound to be more pronounced. Today the referees strongly encouraged the Spurs to body up Brunson, and by the end, Brunson was too tired to even complain.

Throughout the game, the Knicks faced various difficulties: Fox's double-dribble was called a 2+1, Towns was forced to the bench early in the third quarter after two consecutive fouls, and in the fourth quarter during the 0-14 collapse, OG was fouled on a three-point attempt and had to challenge to get the call.

But what's admirable about the Knicks is that no matter what the referees allowed or called, they never got caught up arguing with the officials. They stayed focused on the game from start to finish, adapting to the given whistle. Down by 12 early in the second quarter, they turned it around and led the Spurs by 4 by halftime. Towns was everywhere in that quarter, scoring 12 points, and Bridges went 3-for-3 from deep for 11 points in the quarter.

The Knicks maintained a patient offensive approach throughout, moving the ball to constantly challenge the Spurs' defense. Even when the shot clock was winding down, they refused to take rushed shots. From beginning to end, the Knicks kept a cool head, controlled the tempo, and waited for the Spurs to make mistakes.

After the first quarter, the Spurs couldn't muster a decent offense. In the half-court, they relied on Castle's drives and Wembanyama's isolation plays and lob finishes. When both Castle and Wembanyama were contained, they looked like headless chickens, even their transition offense was inefficient.

The Spurs scored just 18 points in the second quarter, shooting 4-for-21 with 6 turnovers. Their offense was a mess until Towns was whistled for two consecutive fouls and sent to the bench. Even late in the third quarter, against a Knicks lineup without Brunson and Towns, they couldn't gain an advantage and the lead kept growing.

In the fourth quarter, Shamet took over, hitting consecutive threes. Hart was in foul trouble all game, but when he sat, McBride came in and immediately sank a three. When the Spurs fell behind by 14 and the game seemed lost, their backcourt finally woke up.

Harper and Fox took control, sparking a 14-0 run to tie the game. During that stretch, the Spurs finally got the transition looks they wanted: Harper scored 4, Fox added 5, Wembanyama finally came alive, and Vassell hit a three.

In the final minute, Wembanyama's 2+1 gave the Spurs a two-point lead, and Spurs fans finally saw hope for a win. Then Brunson immediately answered with a clutch mid-range jumper to tie. It's inexplicable how Brunson always hits those mid-range shots in the last minute, no matter how inefficient he's been earlier—he becomes unstoppable in crunch time.

With 30 seconds left, Wembanyama rushed a mid-range jumper and missed—the Spurs might have been trying for a 2-for-1 opportunity, but the shot selection was terrible, forcing Wembanyama to shoot from his weakest spot. Brunson also missed his next mid-range, but Wembanyama grabbed the rebound with 11 seconds left and the game tied, giving the Spurs a chance to win.

But then Wembanyama made a decision he'll regret forever: he passed the ball directly to Castle, who was running forward without looking. The ball hit Castle's back and was stolen by Brunson. Wembanyama fouled on the steal, Brunson made one of two free throws, and the Knicks took a one-point lead.

Mitch not calling a timeout is understandable—no need for hindsight. But Wembanyama's pass selection was simply awful. He didn't expect Castle to not look for the ball, and Castle didn't expect Wembanyama to pass it to him. It's unbelievable that such a basic mistake could happen in the final moments of a Finals game. The Spurs ultimately paid the price for their inexperience.

After the game, Wembanyama said, "My mind was still in a fog—that's the root of the problem. I need to calm down and better control the pace of the game." Throughout the fourth quarter, his body language showed frustration and dejection, as evident from the broadcast. The Spurs' 14-0 run was also driven by Harper and Fox.

The Spurs still had a chance to win: Fox and Wembanyama ran a pick-and-roll, and the ball went to Wembanyama popping out for a mid-range jumper, which he missed again. I don't understand why the Spurs would design two mid-range shots for Wembanyama in the last 30 seconds, given his poor efficiency from that area.

In short, the Spurs almost pulled off a miraculous comeback, but Wembanyama's fatal turnover and missed game-winner ruined all their efforts. Including the final minute of Game 1, where he also made a basic mistake, Wembanyama failed to handle the pressure in both games—something he needs to reflect on.

Wembanyama finished 11-of-21, 2-of-6 from three, with 29 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 blocks. Those numbers look good, but his on-court performance fell far short of expectations. The 29 points don't reflect his offensive struggles, and the 4 blocks don't reflect his defensive drop-off.

Towns is incredibly important to the Knicks. He dominated Wembanyama in these two games—offensively he dragged Wembanyama out of the paint, and the latter couldn't keep up with his footwork. Defensively, he made life miserable for Wembanyama, using physicality to keep him from getting to the rim.

Towns shot 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-5 from three, finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. As the game ended, he looked up at the rafters and blew a kiss to his mother in heaven, believing she could see his performance and was watching over the team.

Through the Finals so far, the Knicks are clearly the better team. The Spurs trapped Brunson, but the price was that the Knicks moved the ball fluidly. They did contain Brunson, but everyone else on the Knicks stepped up.

In Finals history, only four teams have come back from an 0-2 deficit, including the 2006 Heat and the 2021 Bucks, but they both lost the first two on the road and then rallied at home. No team has ever come back after losing the first two at home. Next game in New York is a must-win survival game for the Spurs.