Here are a few optimized versions of your title: 1. **Trending Topics: What Surprised You Most About Game 2?** 2. **Trending Topics: Biggest Surprises from Game 2** 3. **Trending Topics: What Stood Out Most in Game 2?**

2026 NBA Finals Trending Topics: What are you most surprised about through Game 2?

Our writers share their biggest surprises of the Finals so far as the Knicks take a 2-0 series lead against the Spurs.
NBA.com Staff Updated on June 6, 2026 11:59 PM

Jalen Brunson (20 points), Mikal Bridges (20 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (21 points, 13 rebounds) combine for 61 in Game 2 win.
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What has surprised you the most through the first two games of the NBA Finals?

Simplistic as this sounds, I’m surprised that the Spurs didn’t put their foot down – specifically, Victor Wembanyama’s rather gargantuan size-20.5 sneaker – in Game 2 on Friday. San Antonio has had a pattern of A) Encountering a little adversity early in its playoff series, but B) Responding pretty quickly to snuff the threats and move on. That resilience/resolve was enough to convince me that we’d all be heading to New York with a 1-1 series, a return to San Antonio for Game 5 assured and likely another return for a Finals that would go the distance. Now? None of that is a given. Wembanyama and his teammates started fine Friday but finished poorly. They have lost late leads in both games so far. The Knicks’ confidence is dialed up to 11 and, if they don’t win one or both at Madison Square Garden in the coming days – as giddy as that city is – it will seem kind of cruel. From there, history and trends could carry this home: Teams that win the first two games of a Finals have won the championship 86.5% of the time (32-5). Teams that win the first two games on the road are unbeaten (2-0). And if that sample size is too small to trust, Finals teams that take a 3-1 series lead have a compelling 97.4% success rate (37-1).
—Steve Aschburner | View Steve’s full archive

If anyone had told me that through two games of the NBA Finals, Jalen Brunson would be shooting 33.9% (19-for-56) overall and 23.5% (4-for-17) from 3-point range and have a negative point differential (-4), I would have guessed the Knicks were trailing 0-2 rather than leading 2-0 as the series shifts to New York. How this has happened brings me to my second surprise: Karl-Anthony Towns outplaying Victor Wembanyama. Through two games, Towns is averaging 19.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and four assists on incredible efficiency (55.6% FG, 42.9% 3P, 100% FT), leading all players in the series in plus/minus (+25). And he’s doing it against the reigning Kia Defensive Player of the Year. When defending Wemby, Towns has held the superstar to 20 total points on 36.8% (7-for-19) shooting over 16:01 of matchup time, forcing as many turnovers as made baskets (seven each). Towns has only committed four shooting fouls against Wemby. KAT has a history of getting into foul trouble, so being able to successfully defend Wemby while limiting his fouls has been huge.

Karl-Anthony Towns delivers an efficient 21 points (8-12 FGs) in the Knicks' Game 2 victory. Flip the floor, and the success continues. In 11:54 of matchup time with Wemby as the primary defender, Towns has scored 16 points on 58.3% (7-for-12) shooting, including 50% (2-for-4) from deep against Wembanyama. Towns also has three assists against two turnovers while being guarded by Wemby, who has only blocked one of Towns’ shots so far in the series. If the Spurs are going to get back into this series, this matchup needs to turn in their favor. They also have to hope Brunson doesn’t get back to his normal efficiency — he entered the Finals shooting 48.6% from the field and 35.2% from beyond the arc.
—Brian Martin, for NBA.com

Shaun Powell: Biggest surprise is the minimal impact made by Keldon Johnson, the NBA’s 2026 Kia Sixth Man Award winner. Actually, Johnson’s performance has been mild throughout much of the playoffs, with the exception of a few stretches in the Western Conference Finals vs. Oklahoma City. Other than Dylan Harper, the Spurs’ bench is producing efforts that are inconsistent at best against the Knicks. For example, whenever Victor Wembanyama sits, backup center Luke Kornet is being targeted by the Knicks; he has one point and four rebounds in the two games and is forcing Wemby back on the floor. But it is Johnson and his six points and four rebounds combined through two games — after averaging 13 and 5 during the season — that is most troublesome.
—Shaun Powell | View Shaun’s full archive

Big picture: The Knicks are on the most surprising playoff run most of us have ever seen, even though it was fair to consider them the favorites in the Eastern Conference. To win 13 straight games, have the best point differential (plus-17.6 per game) in NBA playoff history, and take the first two games of the Finals on the road against a 62-win team is simply incredible. More specifically, it’s surprising that they’ve been able to defend at such a high level. The two least efficient series for any team in these playoffs are the Cavs’ 100.3 points per 100 possessions in the conference finals and the Spurs’ 100.5 per 100 in the Finals. The assumption for the last two years is that you can’t have an elite defense with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on the floor, but the Knicks’ two start have more than held up on that end, their supporting cast has been amazing, and the game-planning from Mike Brown and his staff have been terrific.
—John Schuhmann | View John’s full archive

Under the umbrella of “I’m stunned the Knicks have a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals,” I’m surprised at San Antonio’s inability to generate consistent offense and produce when necessary. Yes, the Knicks have been a great defensive team in the playoffs, so credit to them. But the Oklahoma City Thunder were also great defensively, and the Spurs found a way in the West Finals. San Antonio has been unable to do that in the Finals. They were better offensively in Game 2 – but not good enough to win (eight missed free throws and regrettable Victor Wembanyama turnover didn’t help), and they haven’t been able to execute in crucial late-game minutes. Wembanyama had 29 points in Game 2, but 22 came in the second half after attempting just four shots in the first half. That’s not the sustainable offense that helped the Spurs reach the Finals. This also is the first time in the playoffs where it looks like the Spurs’ youth is causing issues – the Knicks’ veterans have played through their mistakes while the shellshocked Spurs seemed mired in theirs on this stage.
—Jeff Zillgitt | View Jeff’s full archive