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2026 NBA Playoffs NBA Finals: Knicks @ Spurs Game 2 – Time to Step on the Neck, and Apply Pressure

It’s really kind of crazy just how much these series have been similar to each other. This one really reminds you of how the Knicks had a hard-fought win against the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and then just leaned on them in Game 2 until the Cavs collapsed, and the rest of the series was pretty academic after that.

So, well, let’s see them do that again. I would like that very much.

Let’s go, Knicks!

Only three more wins to go!

Winning thirteen (in a row) would cause a scene!

526 replies on “2026 NBA Playoffs NBA Finals: Knicks @ Spurs Game 2 – Time to Step on the Neck, and Apply Pressure”

We got everyone’s curiosity. Now let’s get their attention. Go Knicks. Let’s do this

Why are they sticking with the trolling music? It’s so weird.

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Keep pushing Wemby away from the paint. KAT stay out of foul trouble. Go up 2-0. Series ovaaaa!!!!

Can’t believe they went with that intro music again. Don’t they know it’s bad karma?

Edit: what Brian said

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That’s so bush to play that music for our intros. Just small-town small-mindedness.

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If we win tonight and go back to MSG up 2-0, we should play the Yakety Sax song for the Spurs intros.

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Tonight I heard the trolling intro music as a variant of Sweet Georgia Brown and realized exactly what type of joy this team brings- being a kid and watching the Globetrotters on a Saturday afternoon at the Garden!
Keep on bringin’ the joy!
GO KNICKS!

Thought this was a class organization but maybe not

Wemby telling the bench subs to hurt OKC players dispelled any notion of class from this team.

As predicted, we will have 60+ FTAs combined tonight.

Not sure why they have Brunson bringing the ball up.

How do you go from last game’s whistle to this game’s whistle? This is so inconsistent.

Brunson probably should have just brought that one back.

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The Spurs are playing like men possessed, and they’re up three points. This is all to the Knicks’ ultimate advantage.

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What a five-point swing! Castle choked and then Brunson did not!

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Castle can’t hit SHIT. Harper, dude, just don’t pass to that guy.

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Josh moving too fast and refusing to shoot 🙁

Josh needs to keep shooting 3s when he’s open. He would have been set way better than that 2 he threw up.

You can feel the Spurs energy. But we’re hanging with them. Only down 4 early. This is not bad.

Spurs are playing high level D. Gotta hope they get tired, or we figure it out.

Never ceases to amaze me how good a
3 point shooter OG has become. Every time he hits one I just smile and shake my head.

We’re not doing anything especially impressive so far but we’re hanging with them. We knew they would come out all fire and fury, the question is how long they can sustain that while the Knicks patiently wear them down…

I’m not surprised by their intensity, there will be waves but our guys are rock solid.

Remember the rules: stay close, defend, believe and then Brunson.

Really feels like we should be down by a lot more. Just gotta weather their first punch and stick with it

I truly don’t understand their devotion to Castle. I don’t really see much from him besides some strong defense.

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Why this Harper guy doesn’t play more is beyond me, but I hope it keeps up.

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Come on, refs. There’s no way the Knicks have committed 5x as many fouls as the rugby team

All this, and they’re only down 4 WITH the ball. The Knicks are going to be ahead by the end of the quarter.

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Please have Carter Bryant keep doing stuff like that. TWO POINT GAME!

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I don’t like the Spurs being smart enough to take better shots. Be like the other teams the Knicks play that just keep chucking bad threes.

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Mike Brown’s been skating on his Mitch minutes mgmt. it’s time to adjust.

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I’m not sure they have enough good players to do hack-a-Mitch without problems later

If you start hacking Mitch you’ve already lost simply from the heavy Karmic debt incurred

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Brown could have kept KAT on the floor another minute. I think he was baited into pulling Mitch when Johnson pulled Wemby early.

Taking the Spurs best punch, fans are going nuts and we’re down 5 points.

We’re fine.

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Spurs giving it their all. I predict burnout.

I’d dare them to keep it up on D for the whole game… though I don’t wanna bet on it bc they are young and athletic

You know you’re the best team, when the other team has to revert to hack-a-Mitch !!!

The Spurs are getting much better looks. It annoys me.

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Come on, Mike. Wake up.

Mitch isn’t even protecting the rim. They’ve had a layup line since he came in.

Mitch needs to sit down. We won’t win if we can’t score.

Never mind!

The NBA should change the rule and extend the last-2-minutes rule to the whole game, it’s just so stupid…

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That was too much Mitch, and he’s not even really impacting the game on defense

Choking on the free throw shooting just like he choked in Game 1 period!

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We’re not playing well but only down 9 early.

I knew letting Duece dribble for too long was gonna bite us

One better than Game 1, and they won that won by 10, so I guess they’ll win this one by 11!

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Not great but I’m also not worried at all. There were like three missed free throw calls on our end because nba reffing is a shambles

Poor end to 1st. Still early and never give up on this team but 5 on 6 out there right now.

That was also smothering effing defense by the Spurs guards. Brunson is furious, and trying to foul bait when he can even get off a shot, which isn’t often. And they just did it to Deuce.

The shit they’re getting away with is insane.

More importantly their pace is not sustainable.

That’s as good as it gets for the Spurs. Knicks will adjust, lock in, and wear these kids down…

If they’re going to stifle our guard play, maybe it’s time for JoKAT?

The Spurs play MMA on defense but this is not our main issue. Our defense is! They scored an easy 34 in the quarter and Wemby has only 5. You can’t win like this! Get it together on the defensive end!

The shit they’re getting away with is insane.

Yeah, and the Knicks are not adjusting. They are being so passive on defense. Use the same physicality if that’s how the game is going to be called.

Use the same physicality if that’s how the game is going to be called.

But we got three fouls in like 90 seconds to start the quarter, so ….

We’re not shooting well, they are allowed to do whatever they want on defense and we don’t, a sweep isn’t good for commercials and ratings.

That said, we’re gonna win this.

Remember the Cavs!

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Funny that the broadcast contest non calls to the Spurs and almost never for us

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Castle drew the foul, but the Knicks should have just let him brick the layup.

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Funny that the broadcast contest non calls to the Spurs and almost never for us

Hell yeah, cyber

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If Castle threw the ball in the ocean it would bounce off a buoy and land on the beach

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If Castle threw the ball in the ocean it would bounce off a buoy and land on the beach

And it’s, like, dude, you’re really good on defense. Just concentrate on that.

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Deuce and KAT with two crazy unnecessary shots, punished by the basketball gods with Fox’s and-1

Fox double dribble and offensive fouls and gets the and 1 lmfao

Haha, and then Castle made a dumb DEFENSIVE play, too!

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What a huuuuuuuuuuge play by Alvarado to draw that foul. Three on Castle.

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Hella smart play by Jose there. He’s helping to keep us within arms distance while Brunson sits.

You have to love how the Spurs had had so much success driving and then they decided…nah, let me take a 12-footer instead of driving like a moron.

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Fourth series in a row I’ve said this but: We’re actually so much better than this team it’s not even funny

So good to be on the other side of the “annoying” teams that won’t go away !!! 😀

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I’ll fight anyone who says Kat is soft. Guy gets clobbered every time he goes near the rim, and still finds the open man.

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Well, 4:30am here and I’m watching basketball live. You guys are the worst.

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I’ll fight anyone who says Kat is soft.

KAT was soft, not anymore… this is the guy we dreamed he could be! 🙂

I don’t recall the Knicks finding KAT down low against smalls so systematically in the past.

Fact: KAT has been the best center on the floor tonight.

You think he’s playing vetter than Mitch?

Watching with my daughter and Mimi, our newly-acquired 4 year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Mimi joined us today, after her prior owner passed away. She is confused by our excitement over Knicks baskets, so she has fallen asleep on the wing chair.

Today defines a “Great Day To Be A Knick Fan”.

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Well, 4:30am here and I’m watching basketball live. You guys are the worst.

2:30 here, where are you?

Harper is generally smart, but OG had good position there, that was dumb.

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Watching the SkyCam, and wow, the Knicks cheers are LOUD

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WTF, they just decided to review a call without a challenge.

That’s a huge momentum changer.

WTF, they just decided to review a call for no reason without a challenge.

It’s ok if the refs were not on the same page. You just need to don’t do that.

KAT is basically doing everything I THOUGHT he would do when he was coming out of college, and he just, well, you know, didn’t.

But now he fucking IS!

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This game is making me physically ill. I would cut off my arm for one of those 30-pt leads…

These refs have correctly called 100% of the Knicks fouls and about 1% of the spurs

Daughter: I think Josh Hart should be allowed to do that.

Me: Why? Because he is Josh Hart?

Daughter: No, because it is something you would see in Looney Toons!

MVP for the spurs is Tony brothers and co

“When OG blocked that shot, did the Spurs not shoot the ball high enough or did OG play good defense???”

I really hate that the Knicks don’t get their due.

You blow the frigging whistle and you talk to both centers. Or give a double T

The Spurs’ three-point shooters all think they’re Reggie fucking Miller. They’re not. They suck.

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This game is crazy intense.

I am ready to bring Mikal an apology gift basket

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I followed the Pistons growing up in Detroit. Spurs playing some Bad Boys brand and the league letting it happen bc reasons.

I can’t deal with these refs, man. They should have committed seppuku after calling that T on mitch

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I have to take away the phones on the timeouts… the music is not my style at all !

These lineups with shooters all around are getting everything they want offensively. Wemby can’t keep up.

i still can’t get over that tech

A BAFFLINGLY bad call.

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i still can’t get over that tech

IN-SA-NE call.

“You can’t push our darling superstar”.

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i still can’t get over that tech

What was worse, the tech for nothing or the hair foul? They were both laughable. If this game were being called even somewhat even, we’d be up by 6-8.

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I love the Spurs taking the ball right to the basket…and then kicking it out for a bricked three. Keep it up, morons!

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I am loving watching Wemby just collapsing under pressure.

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Keldon Johnson might be the dumbest Spur on the team.

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I reiterate: we are better than this team

There were some big boy defensive possessions by NYK in that quarter. KAT especially

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Fucking awesome. I almost turned it off and went to bed for my mental health. Looks like I’m going to have to keep eating antacids…

To take a 4 point lead into half after all of that is simply amazing.

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Great end! Mikal making us believe again. And KAT, what can we say. If the announcers and league would take a break from heaping praise on Wemby, they might notice that KAT is completely outplaying him. Duh.

And the irony is that the KNICKS are a faaaaaaaaaaaar better story. Duh.

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I honestly don’t know how we have the lead. If I were watching this game without knowing the score I’d swear we were done by like 9. The resiliency of this team might be my favorite part about them.

Hahah, what a perfect ending to the half. Fox driving to the basket and then saying, “Nah, let me take a tough shot instead.” Fucking idiots.

The Knicks are just going to keep applying pressure in the second half and the young Spurs are going to keep collapsing.

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Is it the Knicks offense or are the spurs defenders not playing well?????
lol
All that gimmick shit the Spurs tried, and they’re down at half.

KAT is so so good. Wow. Also watching live is 100% a different experience than watching replays. Shit, I totally forgot that.

I’m hearing rumors that if the spurs lose Wemby might recruit dwade to learn how to win

Wemby is playing like the most Fugazy player ever. If he doesn’t come out of the locker room smoking he is going to get piloried even by the sycophantic media.

KAT with another half of GREAT basketball.

To be up playing another game 5-vs-8 is outstanding.

I’m so disgusted with these refs,
I’d really like to get the same home cooking whistle in Game 3 and 4…

Feels a little like the NBA said, “maybe we need a little 1990s ball.”

I am still marveling at how Brown fucking figured out this team at the last possible second. What a hero.

It is it the Knicks offense or are the spurs defenders not playing well?????

When the Knicks play 5 shooters, or 4 shooters around Mitch, they are basically unguardable. Look at how many times Wemby got in no man’s land during the latter half of that quarter?

The resiliency of this team might be my favorite part about them.

This ^^^^^^^^^^

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It’s a miracle we are ahead under those conditions. Our defense improved significantly in the second quarter and we have too many weapons for them to stop even when they play mixed martial arts defense. Once we control Wemby, that’s enough. We got those Spurs.

Refereeing has been absolutely lobsided and unprofessional at 80-20 home team. This is probably the worst anti-Knicks whistle I have seen in a very long time. I hope the Knicks organization does something about it. It can’t go on like this.

I love Brunson as much as the next guy, and that 4q in game 1 was awesome, but KAT has been the MVP of this series so far and it’s astonishing that that isn’t in the national zeitgeist.

Barkley nailing it. Wemby is getting his ass kicked, and he just can’t handle it.

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I believe the Knicks decision to attack Wemby’s dribble every time he puts the ball on the ground is making him afraid of dribbling.
It’s in his head.
And it seems so obvious to attack a dribble that starts and most guys’ chest.

KAT has 100% been the MVP of the first game and a half.

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I love Brunson as much as the next guy, and that 4q in game 1 was awesome, but KAT has been the MVP of this series so far and it’s astonishing that that isn’t in the national zeitgeist.

Alright, perhaps I spoke too soon.

Remember when I was going to bet on KAT for MVP when it was 4000-1 but I forgot 🤦🏻‍♂️

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Love that KAT getting his flowers from Chuck Barkley

Yes! Research interns scrambling right now to find Wemby-like puff angles on KAT for next game. Oops. “We forgot about that guy.” Jeeeezzz!

I almost wanna say “how the hell did that survive that half with a lead????” But this team has shown us who they are time and time again these playoffs

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We took most of their best shot (Wemby’s no-show so far notwithstanding), had some all-time egregiously bad calls go against us, and have a lead at the half. The Spurs were looking gassed by the end of the half already, especially Wemby. I’d be nervous if I were a Spurs fan.

Fouling the player’s…hair should be remembered as one of the moments of this year’s finals. What’s next? Breathing?

Love this from old friend Jason Concepción: “These Knicks are like a boa constrictor”

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It’s so weird to have a Knicks team this mentally tough. I genuinely do not know how to truly appreciate it. Like, it can’t be real, can it? And yet, here we are.

Knicks weathered the storm, KAT kept them close, and then they reasserted themselves despite some horrid officiating.

And we haven’t really gotten anything from Hart or the bench so far. But I’ll happily take Mitch shooting 50% from the FT line.

Love this from old friend Jason Concepción: “These Knicks are like a boa constrictor”

Yeah, it’s like they’ve been doing all playoffs. Just slowly applying more and more pressure and crushing their opponents.

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Welcome back Kahnzy!

Of course, my son decides at halftime that he wants to ride his scooter 🤣

Welcome back Kahnzy!

Thanks! Been back lurking the past few years. Decided to rejoin the site because I finally believe! Trauma is hard to get past sometimes, especially with this team.

Look for 2 quick questionable fouls against KAT in the first few minutes.

Remember when I was going to bet on KAT for MVP when it was 4000-1 but I forgot 🤦🏻‍♂️

Ooops

When was the last time someone won Finals MVP without making an All NBA team? Iguodala?

I think they’re going to up 20 by the end of this quarter.

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Please, Castle, keep trying to make shit happen on offense, you fucking moron!

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Once more: we are better!

Usually when the refs try this hard to help a team they stop when it’s this clear they backed the wrong horse

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Is Brunson really that good a shooter or was Wemby’s defense just lackluster?

Spurs are like a boxer reeling from an uppercut. Time to knock them the fuck out.

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I think Wemby and the Spurs were reading their press.
And the rest of the press was having trouble believe these Knicks were for real.

Bridges just keeps breaking backs with those late in the shot clock threes!

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If we keep sending Brooklyn picks some day it’ll be enough

Castle’s first good decision – don’t shoot it himself.

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Brunson definitely is hero-ball-ing a bit, when he doesn’t need to at ALL.

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Enough with the Wemby / KAT double standard. You’re not a Spur, Tony Bruthers

These refs must under orders from the NBA to extend the series. This is total BS.

My daughter and I have concluded that Landry Shamet looks like Bert from Sesame Street.

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Spurs are doing whatever they want physically. We get called for everything

Imagine being so fucking stupid that you’re doing trick plays down five.

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Terrible call on towns. Need to weather the storm. We also need brunson not to dribble up the court

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should have challenged

They were going to confirm it. The issue is that every single player has been doing that shit.

Usually when the refs try this hard to help a team they stop when it’s this clear they backed the wrong horse

They’re obvs not done yet. In-sane.

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I may send Skinny Joe Merlino to the NBA offices to straighten these refs out.

Wonder why Brown hasn’t challenged some of these calls…

Bc the same MFers who made the calls would uphold them

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Wonder why Brown hasn’t challenged some of these calls…

It’s important to have the challenges in the end

What I don’t like, I see a lot of contact by the Spurs and nothing is called…

And Brunson always struggles with big athletic guards. They need to move the ball

Brown knows how the nba protects its stars and wants more games so decided to swallow it

The Knicks’ guards will gladly trade baskets with Castle.

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The Knicks’ lineup is bad, but this Spurs lineup is obscene.

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Mitch is a traffic cone out there. Not making an impaft

Seriously. They should try OG out there as the 5.

How Johnson is letting the series fall apart for him with Wemby on the bench is beyond me.

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Mikal Bridges is Mr Playoffs. I don’t give a shit what he does during the regular season

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After the season, I really want Dolan to produce a Deuce/Shamet 70s buddy cop show for MSG.

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Bridges rope-a-doping for two whole seasons just for this

Up by 9 with 12 minutes to go. Just have to win one more quarter!

If we go on to win this, I’d be cool if Mikal wanted to take the entire next season off and just come back for the playoffs.

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What an unreal shift by the bench mob

I was about to complain about a no-KAT/no-Brunson lineup in the NBA Finals and then they started scoring and getting stops every possession.

If we can beat the refs tonight…might be the best win of this postseason…

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I was about to complain about a no-KAT/no-Brunson lineup in the NBA Finals and then they started scoring and getting stops every possession.

Hahahahahaha. Same.

If we can beat the refs tonight…might be the best win of this postseason…

It really is more of a battle with them than with the Spurs right now.

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Alvarado has been the best against the Spurs on-ball pressure.
McBride should not bring the ball up and Brunson needs to move the ball more quickly. I’m pretty sick of watching him trap himself in the corner of mid court and sideline.
Makes no sense.

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TWELVE POINT LEAD WITHOUT BRUNSON OR TOWNS! SPURS, YOU SUCK!

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My daughter and I have concluded that Landry Shamet looks like Bert from Sesame Street.

Great call! 😁

I would have bet you anything that Brunson three would have fell.

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Why are they trying trick plays down five in the NBA FINALS?!

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It’s really a disgrace to the NBA what the officials are doing.

Knicks do not have a FTA this half.

If you take out the hack a Mitch FTAs, it’s 22-10 Spurs.

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Wemby looks gassed

He looked gassed in the 1st half. His body isn’t ready for this Knicks toughness.

It was just too hilarious how they were down five, with a chance to cut it to three, and they tried some stupid trick play.

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Remember that last 2 minute report on all the fucked up calls…they should do a last 48 minutes on this debacle

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Brunson’s overdribbling and having a crap game because Castle has him in a DUNGEON with his physicality. It’s borderline fouls every time down.

The Spurs are getting away with murder.
Someone touches Robinson and the call a foul. Brunson runs down the court gets pushed and tripped and no calls.
Such bullshit

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Refs to Adam Silver: “Hey we tried man the Knicks just wouldn’t cooperate “

It feels like the Knicks are taking on the Spurs, the refs and the league at this point and are just delivering a massive F You to all of them

I was gonna complain, but yeah, Hart grabbed every arm in the neighborhood

Castle hooks Brunson there, literally wraps his arm around his waist. No call

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