The tensions were high on the court at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center last night, during the Spurs’ 104-105 Game 2 loss against the Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals. From trash-talking to peak physicality, Game 2 was packed with both sides showing their desperation as they battled on the biggest stage in the league.
Within three minutes into the fourth quarter, the Spurs were rallying back from a 12-point hole at the time and had just cut it to seven points (80-87) when De’Aaron Fox and Jalen Brunson went face-to-face after Fox smothered Brunson and fouled him in a corner of the court and had a heated exchange that led to their teammates also getting handsy.
Fox initially shoved Mikal Bridges away, who subsequently also got a bit handsy with Stephon Castle, before the officials could intervene and separate the parties to resolve the conflict.
Rick Brunson, the Knicks’ assistant coach who is also Jalen Brunson’s father, was the only Knicks bench member beyond Mike Brown who was involved in the aftermath. Tony Brothers, the chief crew official for Game 2, was seen urging Rick Brunson to head back to the Knicks’ bench.
Following this, Brunson was caught on broadcast losing his cool at De’Aaron Fox and yelling at him from the sidelines.
“You ain’t tough! You ain’t tough! Don’t do that!” Brunson was seen yelling at Fox, who approached the halfway line to interact with the Knicks’ bench.
Jalen Brunson’s dad Rick Brunson to De’Aaron Fox:
“You ain’t tough… don’t do that”
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) June 6, 2026
The game went on with no further action on both sides from the officials. Brunson ended the game with 20 points, six assists, five rebounds, and five steals.
Even though he had an inefficient night from the field (7-25 FG, 28 FG%, 2-8 3P, 25 3P%), he scored seven of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to close out this crucial win for the Knicks.
Meanwhile, De’Aaron Fox was no longer struggling like he did in Game 1, and finished with 20 points, five assists, and three rebounds while going 8-12 from the floor (66.7 FG%) and 2-2 from beyond the arc (100 3P%).
Following the game, however, Fox gave Jalen Brunson his flowers, despite the intense exchange with the Knicks’ point guard.
“I mean, I think we’ve had a good defense, the majority of the year. So we’re just trying to make it difficult on him. And I mean, I think we’ve done a good job both games, and he’s made big shots at the end of games, and I mean, he’s a hell of a player.”
“So even when you make it difficult for good players, I mean, they’re talented. So they’re gonna end up making shots, and he’s done that, especially at the end of the game. So I don’t know if I would just change much of what we’re doing. But he made timely shots,” said Fox.
Brunson did not address Fox in his postgame comments. Game 3 is scheduled for Monday, June 8, at New York’s Madison Square Garden. We anticipate more of such intense competitiveness from both teams in the remaining games of the NBA Finals. All eyes are now on De’Aaron Fox and the Spurs to bounce back and extend this series.
