Our basketball writers share their observations and insights throughout the 2026 NBA Finals.
Wednesday, June 3
Brunson is Captain Clutch
What's left to say about Jalen Brunson?
The undersized, but never overmatched, guard just continues to power through and level up when it matters most. Brunson struggled mightily for most of Game 1 with the Spurs' relentless defense making life difficult for him. He even briefly left the game with a knee injury and missed 14 of his first 21 shots. Then the fourth quarter arrived, which has officially become Brunson Time. The former Clutch Player of the Year scored 11 points (on 5-of-9 shooting) over the final seven minutes, during which he singlehandedly outscored the Spurs to turn what was once a 14-point deficit into a double-digit victory.
Jalen Brunson's clutch scoring in the playoffs is literally Michael Jordan-level pic.twitter.com/DSKvTWXI9x
— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) June 3, 2026
A dynamic knee-testing move in transition was one of Brunson's many fourth-quarter highlights, but the play that summed up his clutch heroics (and heart) came later. Brunson, one of the smallest players on the court, got his fingertips on a loose ball to keep an offensive rebounding opportunity and possession alive for the Knicks. The ball eventually found Brunson in the corner, where he made the go-ahead three-pointer. The Knicks wouldn't relinquish the lead again. - Joseph Casciaro
Towns, Hart kept Knicks in it
Brunson wouldn't have been able to play the hero if not for the performances of Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart.
Towns continues to play the most complete basketball of his career. The big man did excellent defensive work on Victor Wembanyama while also attacking the Spurs' superstar on the other end. Towns was solid on the boards and generally set the tone from the jump. The 30-year-old has always been a productive star, but he's risen to the occasion this spring in ways he didn't always do on big stages in the past. Through one game, the Finals has been no different.
Hart was once again the Knicks' do-it-all glue guy. Hart only scored three points on 1-of-5 shooting, but the 6-foot-5 guard grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to go with his game-high six assists (and zero turnovers) and four steals. It's no wonder Hart's plus-22 in his 27 minutes was the highest of any player Wednesday, while the Knicks were minus-12 in 21 minutes without him. - Joseph Casciaro
The surprising Game 1 matchup
It may sound strange to say the game's two starting centers matching up against each other was surprising, but no one expected Wembanyama and Towns to be consistently guarding one another. It figured the Knicks would start with OG Anunoby on Wembanyama, since the forward's combination of strength and length has been tough on the 3rd-year star in the past and New York couldn't risk Towns getting into foul trouble. Perhaps the Knicks just didn't want to deal with figuring out which smaller Spurs player Towns could guard. In any event, credit KAT for excelling in the matchup on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, many expected Wembanyama to start on the poor-shooting Hart, which would allow him to largely ignore his matchup and act as a free safety of sorts. Instead, he squared off with Towns, who pulled the Defensive Player of the Year away from the basket at times and did a good job of beating Wembanyama off the dribble. That created some downhill pressure for the Knicks with Wembanyama temporarily out of the picture and having to play catch-up.
How long will each team stick with this plan? - Joseph Casciaro
The Wemby effect
Even on a brutal offensive night that saw him shoot 6-of-21 and record four more turnovers (six) than assists (two), Wembanyama's presence - and lack thereof - was still a dominant theme. The Knicks' willingness to venture into the paint and willingness to attack the rim was obviously dependent on whether Wembanyama was on the court and in the play. - Joseph Casciaro
Harper shines in loss
The biggest Game 1 reminder of how ahead-of-schedule the young Spurs are came in the form of Dylan Harper. The rookie guard was San Antonio's best player in the first half, with Harper's scoring, ability to get downhill, and general activity popping off the screen. The 20-year-old was everywhere, often looking like the most poised member of the West champs.
It can be easy to miss at times because he comes off the bench for a guard-heavy team, but Harper has all the makings of a future star in the backcourt. Other rookies like Kon Knueppel and V.J. Edgecombe got more of the spotlight thanks to bigger roles, but my money is still on the second overall pick emerging as the second-best player from the 2025 draft class after Cooper Flagg. San Antonio's ability to pair him with 2025 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle in a stellar two-way backcourt of the future would already be what team-building dreams are made of. The fact the Spurs merely get to do it in support of Wembanyama almost feels unfair. - Joseph Casciaro
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