The San Antonio Spurs let a second-half lead slip away as the New York Knicks stole Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
The Knicks won their 12th straight game of the playoffs thanks to Jalen Brunson’s late-game heroics and San Antonio’s surprising collapse at the Frost Bank Center.
Amid this, Dylan Harper’s father, Ron, voiced his criticism about the officiating.
Ron Harper Rips Referee Performance in Game 1 of NBA Finals
No one wants to see the referees take over the moment and ruin the greatness of the NBA Finals, but Ron doesn’t want to see them swallow the whistle, either.
The five-time NBA champion was unhappy with the officiating standards in Game 1 and took to social media to rip into Scott Foster, James Capers, and Sean Wright.
“Watching the [NBA] and see 3 [officials] fall asleep is horrible!!!” Ron posted.
Watching the @nba and see 3 @NBAOfficial fall asleep is horrible!!!
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) June 4, 2026
The Knicks took only three free throws in the first half as Wembanyama continued to get to the line, which drew early attention to the officiating.
After leading in the first half, San Antonio saw itself lose its grip on the game, especially due to Brunson coming alive with a 30-point explosion to clinch a 105-95 win.
While New York saw its free-throw attempts and production rise in the second half, one major talking point for the San Antonio fans was Harper’s impact.
Harper was outstanding in the first half as the Spurs surged past the Knicks and were looking in a comfortable position.
Despite being one of the key contributors to the Spurs tonight, Harper found himself sitting on the bench in crunch time and watched the Knicks close the game on an 11-0 run.
Harper finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds, as Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson’s decision to bench him at a crucial moment helped swing momentum New York’s way.
For San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama carried the offensive burden, recording a team-high 26 points and 12 rebounds.
However, he had a dismal shooting night, going 6-of-21 from the floor.
Besides Wembanyama, Stephon Castle finished the night with 17 points and 8 rebounds, and Julian Champagnie poured in 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Compared to San Antonio’s stagnated offensive production, New York saw Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby chip in with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
With Game 2 tipping off on Friday, the Spurs need to sort their offensive game plan if they are to level the series against the red-hot Knicks.
