GAME 1: KNICKS 105, SPURS 95
• GAME 1 HISTORY: Teams that win Game 1 of the NBA Finals have gone on to win the series 69.6% of the time (55-24). … Teams that win Game 1 of the NBA Finals on the road have gone on to win the series 42.1% of the time (8-11).
• STREAKING KNICKS: The Knicks won their 12th consecutive playoff game, tying the 1998-99 Spurs for the second-longest winning streak in a single postseason in NBA history. The record is 15 consecutive victories by the 2016-17 Warriors. … The Knicks won their seventh consecutive road playoff game, matching six other teams for the second-longest streak in a single postseason. The 2000-01 Lakers hold the NBA record with eight consecutive road victories.
• JALEN BRUNSON: Brunson (30 points) scored the second-most points by a Knicks player in his first NBA Finals game, trailing only Willis Reed (37 points) in 1970 Game 1.
• JOSH HART: Hart (15 rebounds, 6 assists) became the first Knicks player to record 15+ points and 5+ assists in an NBA Finals game since Dave DeBusschere in 1972 Game 1 (18 rebounds, 6 assists).
• GAME 1 COMEBACKS: The Knicks came back from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to win Game 1. This marks the second straight year that a team overcame a deficit of 14 or more points in the second half to win Game 1. Last year, the Pacers came back from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Thunder.
• KNICKS DEFENSE: The Knicks have now held the Spurs to season-low point totals in both the playoffs (tonight) and regular season (89 on March 1).
• DYLAN HARPER: Harper (16 points) set the Spurs rookie record for most points in an NBA Finals game, passing Manu Ginóbili (12 in 2003 Game 5). … Harper’s 10 first-quarter points were the most by a rookie in the first quarter of an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play era (since the 1998 Finals). Only two other rookies have scored 10+ points in any quarter of a Finals game in the play-by-play era: Miami’s Kendrick Nunn (14 points, fourth quarter, 2020 Game 1) and Tyler Herro (12 points, fourth quarter, 2020 Game 4).
• JULIAN CHAMPAGNIE: Champagnie set a Spurs franchise record for threes in an NBA Finals half with five in the first half. He finished with five threes, one shy of the record for a player in his first NBA Finals game (Al Horford, six in Game 1 2022).
