Victor Wembanyama took responsibility for the San Antonio Spurs’ loss in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday night. This result makes the Spurs the third team in NBA history to lose the first two Finals games at home.
The Spurs experienced a dramatic turnaround in the fourth quarter, ultimately falling to the New York Knicks 105-104. San Antonio was trailing by 14 points midway through the final quarter, having already let a double-digit lead slip away. They then managed a 14-0 run to tie the game and briefly led when Wembanyama completed a three-point play with just under a minute remaining.
With about 14 seconds left, the score was tied as the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson faced Wembanyama, the Defensive Player of the Year. Brunson’s 16-foot jumper missed, and Wembanyama secured the rebound. However, a pass to teammate Stephon Castle went awry, as Castle was not paying attention, and the ball bounced off his back. Brunson retrieved the ball, and Wembanyama fouled him, sending Brunson to the free-throw line.
“I need to have more poise,” Wembanyama stated. “More control over the game.”
Brunson missed one of two free throws, giving the Knicks a one-point lead. Wembanyama attempted a game-winning shot but missed, resulting in the Knicks taking a 2-0 series lead.
Wembanyama expressed regret over the outcome, acknowledging some errors. “I threw that one away. I messed up,” he remarked. “We didn’t play great as a team. We needed to win that game. This game was ours. But at this point, it’s done. Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely.”
He also admitted he might have been too energized from their victory in the seven-game Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, it’s the Knicks who have momentum, with Madison Square Garden set to host an NBA Finals game for the first time in this millennium. Game 3 is on Monday night and is predicted to be one of the most expensive sporting events ever, with secondary market prices around $12,000.
The 1993 Phoenix Suns and 1995 Orlando Magic are the only other teams to have fallen to a 2-0 deficit at home and failed to recover to win the title.
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