Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals was unique because it lived up to the hype but also left plenty to be desired.
It was littered with spectacular moments that papered over what was far from a dazzling display of offensive efficiency. And, in the end, it was Jalen Brunson, who willed the New York Knicks to a series-opening win, and Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs were left to regroup after the French phenom got his numbers — but wasn't nearly as game-breaking as expected.
Hence why, heading into Game 2 on Friday (Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT), both teams are likely feeling as though another gear can be found.
Luckily for us, there are at least three more games to do so.
To get you ready for Game 2, here are five stats from Game 1 to keep an eye on as the NBA Finals continue.
95: Wednesday's Game 1 loss was the first time that the Spurs were held the fewer than 100 points during the playoffs. In fact, it was just the fourth instance through 101 total games this season that it happened. San Antonio went 32-of-89 from the field (36 per cent), with all but one player shooting sub-50 per cent for the game. Wembanyama wound up shooting 6-of-21 while going 2-of-9 from distance. Will the porous scoring night go down as an outlier or an indicator that the Knicks have figured out how to slow down the Spurs?
8:36: Entering the NBA Finals, many surmised that OG Anunoby was going to get the first crack at slowing down Wemby or, at the very least, spend his fair share of time trying. Which made sense, since the all-defensive second-team forward had done a better job of it than most, and Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns basically split defensive duties against the Spurs star during their regular-season matchups.
But that's not how Game 1 played out. In fact, Towns guarded Wembanyama longer than any other matchup in the series opener. His 8:36 minutes draped on Wemby were 2.5 minutes more than the second-longest matchup (Jalen Brunson on Julian Champagnie). And more impressive than KAT sticking with Wembanyama for as long as he did was the fact that he kept the Western Conference Finals MVP to just 2-of-11 shooting (18.2 per cent) when directly guarding him.
Plus-8: It's not often that the Spurs have been the less productive team in the lane, but that's what happens when you face the NBA's top paint-scoring team during the playoffs. The Knicks 50-42 edge for points in the paint was even more impressive considering the Spurs have held opponents to an average of just 41.4 paint points this post-season. Meanwhile, 42 points in the paint was passable but still 6.6 points below San Antonio's playoff average, which ranks fourth. Having a seven-foot-four alien in the middle has usually been enough for the Spurs to dominate inside, but the Knicks appear to have that space locked up tighter than Area 51.
13: That's how many points Brunson scored in the fourth quarter, reminding folks why he's a former Clutch Player of the Year winner and also aptly dubbed "Captain Clutch." Before the final frame, Brunson had put up 17 points on a woeful 7-of-22 (31.8 per cent) shooting. If the Spurs are going to even up the series on Friday or go on to win a title, finding a way to slow down one of the NBA's top late-game performers will be key.
3:33: It's not often a rookie shines as bright as Dylan Harper did off the bench in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but that light was ultimately dimmed by the end. After posting a team-best plus-12 mark at halftime thanks to 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting and six rebounds, he'd finish with 16 points after going 2-of-5 from the field the rest of the way.
But what raised eyebrows more than his dwindling production was the fact that Harper saw the floor for only 3:33 minutes in the fourth quarter, not even registering a shot attempt. The Spurs certainly have plenty of mouths to feed, but on a night when De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle combine to shoot 10-of-29 (34.8 per cent) from the field and 1-of-9 from deep, Harper's injection of energy and downhill pressure could've been a difference-maker down the stretch. Let's see if Mitch Johnson lengthens the leash for the rookie in Game 2.
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