Watch the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs starting Wednesday on ABC 7
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The New York Knicks continued their playoff hot streak, beating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night in Texas.
The Knicks, who finished on an 11-0 run, made a little more history. They became the first team to beat San Antonio in a Game 1 of the title series - the Spurs were 6-0 in those - and this is also the first time the Spurs have ever trailed a finals before the finish.
New York has now won 12 straight playoff games, with a chance to push the streak to 13 on Friday night in Game 2.
This NBA Finals matchup has a lot of similarities with the last time the Knicks made the finals in 1999.
The Spurs were their opponent that year and just so happened to have a generational big-man talent who was heading to the title round for the first time.
Back then for the Spurs, it was Tim Duncan. This time for the Spurs, it's Victor Wembanyama.
But that's where the Knicks are hoping the similarities end. The team lost to the Spurs in five games in 1999, but after winning Game 1 on Wednesday, this New York squad is writing their own script as it looks to win its first championship in 53 years.
Channel 7 is your home for the NBA Finals.
Ryan Field, Sam Ryan, and Anthony Johnson is on the road in San Antonio. You can watch their reports on Eyewitness News.
The Knicks and Spurs are all knotted at 76 going into the fourth quarter.
At one point in the third, the Spurs held a double-digit advantage, but the Knicks rallied with a 25-11 run to close the quarter.
Center Karl-Anthony Towns leads the Knicks with 18 points, followed by Jalen Brunson with 17.
Dylan Harper leads the Spurs with 16 points, while Victor Wembanyama and Julian Champagnie both have 15.
The Knicks have some ground to make up after going into halftime trailing the Spurs 55-48.
The Spurs' Julian Champagnie led all scorers in the first half with 15 points, while rookie Dylan Harper had 12 points off the bench.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks in scoring in the first half, but shot just 5-15 from the floor while battling through apparent injuries in both quarters.
Despite trailing in the game going into the half, the Knicks have kept Spurs' star center Victor Wembanyama relatively quiet at 9 points.
