Jalen Brunson shone in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, leading the New York Knicks to an opening victory. Despite a challenging start, Victor Wembanyama delivered impressive stats for the San Antonio Spurs in his finals debut. However, the finals often hinge on teamwork and contributions from supporting players.

The series continues with Game 2 on Friday night in San Antonio. The Spurs aim to even the series before heading to New York, where the Knicks hope to replicate the Houston Rockets’ 1995 record of two road wins at the start of the finals. The game starts at 8:42 p.m. EDT and will be broadcasted on ABC. The Spurs enter as 6.5-point favorites.

In Game 1, Brunson scored 30 points to help the Knicks overcome a 14-point deficit in the third quarter. The Knicks ended the game with an 11-0 run. Yet, it was Josh Hart’s efforts, beyond scoring, that impressed. Hart contributed 15 rebounds, six assists, and four steals. His performance matched an achievement by Larry Bird in 1986 as the only player to reach those numbers in a finals game since stats have been tracked.

“His energy is just relentless. It doesn’t stop,” Brunson praised Hart. “He’s a big kid with an absurd amount of energy.” Brunson and Hart, former teammates at Villanova, continue to make an impact together.

The Knicks strive to achieve their 13th consecutive playoff victory. This would stand as the second-longest playoff streak in a single season, following Golden State’s 15 wins in 2017.

“We know it’s a long series,” said Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox. “Obviously you want to win every game on your home court, but it’s not like that every day. We try to address and fix what we need to. We want a different result.”

Stay updated on NBA news at AP NBA.