After dropping Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs watched their home-court advantage evaporate. Now, after the New York Knicks pushed Victor Wembanyama out of his comfort zone and clinched a thrilling 105-104 win on Friday, San Antonio is at risk of being swept as the series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4.
Victor Wembanyama’s ‘Collapse’ Draws Attention as Karl-Anthony Towns Dominates Game 2 Matchup
Wembanyama entered the series billed as an unstoppable force. He was largely invisible in the first half, but he came alive in the second half and ultimately finished with 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists, and 2 steals. However, his production was overshadowed by a brutal turnover and a foul in the dying seconds to kill San Antonio’s comeback.
The Spurs gasped against a relentless New York frontcourt that refused to concede an inch of space. The Knicks continued to crash the glass with complete abandon to secure offensive rebounds.
THE FANS ARE IN SHOCK 😲 pic.twitter.com/pJySYIeBp6
— ESPN (@espn) June 6, 2026
One user reacted to the Spurs star’s up-and-down performance in Game 2 and wrote, “Wemby looks HORRIBlE Towns is putting on a two-way CLINIC.”
“Wemby 2 Finals stinkers in a row 😭,” BrickCenter posted.
Wemby 2 Finals stinkers in a row 😭 pic.twitter.com/aheByLeB1P
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) June 6, 2026
The concerns were visible right from Game 1, when Wembanyama had a six-turnover night in the 105-95 defeat on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old shot just 2-for-13 when Karl-Anthony Towns was his primary defender.
“Wemby has been infected with Chet Holmgren Disease. Very sad,” another user remarked, drawing parallels to the Oklahoma City Thunder center who struggled in the Western Conference Finals against Wembanyama.
Wemby has been infected with Chet Holmgren Disease. Very sad.
— Barry (@BarryOnHere) June 6, 2026
“Wemby having the traditional superstar collapse, happens to everyone, man,” one user noted.
“Wemby’s in shock right now. It’s probably been a long time since he got his a** kicked like this… He’s 22. He’s gonna own the league soon. But right now, big KAT is just taking his a** to the woodshed. Plain and simple,” NBA legend Charles Barkley said of Wembanyama’s performance at halftime.
Charles Barkley: “Wemby’s in shock right now. It’s probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this… Wemby’s spinning… He’s 22. He’s gonna own the league soon. But right now, big KAT is just taking his ass to the woodshed. Plain and simple.” 🏀🎙️#NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/XwbNq2Z6Sc
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 6, 2026
“The way Wemby is playing, this sh*t has to be a humiliation ritual. He’s a better player than KAT and looks 2x worse for absolutely no reason,” one user bluntly wrote.
For the Knicks and Towns, it was a completely different story. Towns bullied his way to 21 points and 13 rebounds. He shot an efficient 8-of-12 from the floor and set the physical tone for a New York squad that eventually got the better of San Antonio.
The rest of the Knicks’ roster fed off of Towns’ dominance. Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson poured in 20 points each, and Landry Shamet added 13 points off the bench.
The Knicks capitalized on the 16 San Antonio turnovers, converting them into fast-break opportunities and keeping the Frost Bank Center crowd completely quiet.
San Antonio caught fire too late, as New York survived a chaotic final possession to secure the one-point win and now head back to Madison Square Garden with firm control on the series.
