The 2026 NBA Finals has been a strange series, and not just for what’s happening on the scoreboard. From fans running onto the court to courtside harassment, Frost Bank Center has been at the center of some odd moments outside of basketball too.
The Knicks went into Game 2 still riding momentum from a dominant Game 1 win, but nothing about their second road win felt clean. New York gave up a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, let San Antonio take the lead, and still somehow walked out of Texas with a 105-104 victory and a 2-0 series advantage.
The Unexpected Twist in Jalen Brunson’s Game-Winning Turnover Recovery
GettyJalen Brunson’s Late-Game Moment Took an Unexpected Turn
Here’s where things got a little cinematic. SNY reporter Ian Begley noted something that most people watching the game probably missed entirely.
“Coincidentally, this crucial turnover and Jalen Brunson recovery happened near seats of fan(s) who harassed Brunson in Game 1.”
The same stretch of sideline where a fan had spent Game 1 yelling vulgar “flopping” remarks at Brunson ended up being the exact spot where he scooped up the loose ball, got fouled, and hit the free throw that won the game.
Regarding that fan, the NBA looked into the matter, and as a consequence, the fan was not allowed to sit courtside for the rest of the series by the NBA after Brunson got the referee Scott Foster’s attention twice about the incident, the second time was even after the final buzzer.
How the Final Seconds of Knicks vs Spurs Game 2 Actually Played Out
GettyA Strange Sideline Twist Surrounded Jalen Brunson’s Game-Winner
This is why that spot was even important. Below is the actual way in which the last sequence went down.
Brunson failed a jumper that would have given his team the lead with less than 15 seconds to go and the score tied at 104.
Victor Wembanyama secured the rebound, and the Spurs, deciding not to use their last timeout, hoping to push before the Knicks could sub in their best defenders.
Wembanyama made a long pass to Stephon Castle, but Castle had already turned to run up court. The ball hit him in the back. Brunson picked it up, and Wembanyama fouled him at once. A single mistake and the game was done.
Brunson hit the first free throw to make it 105-104, missed the second, and the Spurs had one final chance. They couldn’t convert.
Brunson has now closed out both Finals games in San Antonio, including a 30-point in Game 1 where he scored 13 in the fourth quarter alone. His shooting sits at just 34% through two games.
Game 3 heads to Madison Square Garden, which hasn’t hosted an NBA Finals game in over two decades.
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