There are games, and then there are games that can redefine careers an era, and in this case an NBA Finals.
The New York Knicks were enjoying a 14-points with six minutes to go in Game 2 before Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs rallied off 14 consecutive points to tie the game at 97, and even briefly took a 104-102 lead with 57 seconds to go on Wembanyama's lay-up and free throw shot.
If the Knicks had lost this game, it would have gone down as an inexplicable and painful way to watch a 12-game winning streak come to a screeching halt. The Knicks had been in foul trouble all night, and despite missing some big shots early in the game, had rallied themselves back from a 12-point deficit to take the lead at the half.
A dominant third quarter had New York giddy at the prospects. Blowing it all could have been devastating.
That is when things drastically changed.
First Jalen Brunson tied the game on a 13-foot jumper with 39 ticks to go, setting up the stage for the games most unlikely outcome.
With 13.5 to go, Brunson missed a chance at a game winning shot as Wembanyama picked the ball up off the rebound. It looked it would either be a San Antonio win or overtime at this point. But as the Spurs MVP tried to advance the ball, Stephon Castel turned his head at the same time Wembanyama tried to pass the ball to him. Instead the ball bounced off Castel's shoulder as Brunson tried to dive for it.
The ball was ruled Knicks ball. Brunson went to the line and hit the free throw to put the Knicks up one.
Then Wembanyama missed the final desperation shot as Mitchell Robinson played him perfectly. Knicks win.
It was one of the most thrilling, topsy-turvey finishes we have ever seen. This is the kind of moment when one realizes that perhaps, the basketball gods are indeed wearing orange and blue. Games like this don't end well, especially for the Knicks in the past. But that's the past.
The Knicks return to what will be a raucous Madison Square Garden on Monday night for Game 3. A win, and series could be all but over.
NOTES: It's hard to talk about Game 2 and not mention Knicks center Karl Anthony Towns. What a performance by Towns on Friday night. He totally flustered Victor Wembanyama all night long, as the Spurs 7-foot-4 big man struggled to get going offensively until the fourth quarter.
Towns was also huge on the boards, 21 points and 10 rebounds as scored his second straight double-double. Towns' effort was so good that it even got the attention of Charles Barkely who said that the Knicks big man deserves to be Finals MVP should the Knicks win it all.
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