The New York Knicks entered the NBA Finals as underdogs at 36 percent and left Game 1 as slight championship favorites, rallying from a double-digit second-half deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 Wednesday night and flipping the title odds dramatically in their favor.
San Antonio entered Game 1 at 64 percent on Polymarket to win the championship and surged as high as 73 percent during the second half before New York took control. The Knicks now sit at 52 to 53 percent to claim their first title since 1973, needing three wins from the remaining six games.
San Antonio remains a 5.5-point favorite for Game 2 on Friday and would reclaim series favoritism with a victory to level things at 1-1.
Karl-Anthony Towns led New York with 18 points and 12 rebounds, matching Victor Wembanyama’s physicality throughout. Josh Hart contributed just three points but delivered a commanding supporting effort with 15 rebounds, six assists, and four steals, giving Jalen Brunson room to take over offensively down the stretch.
Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks but shot 6-of-21 from the floor and committed six turnovers. De’Aaron Fox struggled alongside him, finishing with seven points on 3-of-13 shooting and missing all four three-point attempts.
The Knicks have not lost in more than 40 days entering the series, having dominated the Eastern Conference playoffs by an average of 23 points per game.
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