The Spurs knew an adjustment had to be made on Jalen Brunson, who torched San Antonio in the second half of a loss in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

And they did make that adjustment. But, they didn’t have an answer early for Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks’ best player on the floor for beginning of Friday’s 105-104 Game 2 win in Frost Bank Center.

What was missing? A moment in the fourth for Towns to steady his sputtering team as the Spurs went on a 14-0 run in hopes of tying the series, 1-1.

In fact, Towns didn’t touch the ball for six consecutive possessions late in the fourth quarter as the Spurs sparked a comeback attempt.

It was a tale of two halves. After scoring 17 points by halftime, Towns logged just four the rest of the way.

Towns was dominant in the first half but closed quietly after two questionable foul calls in the third. Even when he returned in the final period, the Knicks ignored him in favor of force-feeding Brunson, leaving Towns very much a non-factor.

Towns’ work early, though, helped give the Knicks a 2-0 NBA Finals lead with the series heading back to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4.

Victor Wembanyama misfired at the end of regulation. Had his shot gone in, it would’ve been a tough pill Towns — and the Knicks — to swallow after coming out sharp in Game 2.

In that performance, the big dominated on both sides of the floor from the beginning. He made seven of his first 10 shots of the game before logging 21 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal on 34 minutes.

Most importantly, Towns neutralized Spurs megastar Victor Wembanyama, who looked outmatched almost each time dealing with the Knicks star in the first half.

A sequence minutes into the second quarter served as a microcosm of the early KAT vs. Alien matchup in Game 2.

At the 9:50 mark of the second quarter, Towns received the ball on the perimeter on Jose Alvarado’s baseline inbounds pass. Without hesitation, Towns drove past the 7-4 unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, and slammed home a finish.

Towns flexing on Wembanyama was the icing on the cake.

In Game 1, the Knicks collectively made an effort to attack the paint whenever Wembanyama wasn’t on the floor — rightfully so. Why would you consistently run into someone with an 8-foot wingspan who averages over three blocks per game since the beginning of his NBA career?

There was no such caution from Towns to start Game 2.

The aggressiveness was needed on a night Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson directed players to pick Brunson up full-court after San Antonio makes. Brunson was bumped, covered and hounded by San Antonio’s arsenal of young defensive-minded guards.

They made the decision to let someone else beat them early — Towns did. He was up to 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists by halftime. A corner 3-pointer over Wembanyama seconds before the halftime buzzer capped a start that gave the Knicks a four-point lead at the half.

But the game flipped in the second half.

After a lackluster NBA Finals debut, Wembanyama came back with a much better performance: 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and two assists.

It followed a Game 1 where he logged 26 points on 21 shots.

Adversity finally hit KAT when he picked up his third foul at 6:17 mark of the third then moments after got called for his fourth on a silly offensive foul attempting to seal Stephon Castle feet away from the rim.

It gave San Antonio life as the less dynamic Mitchell Robinson subbed in for Towns. Immediately, the Spurs dwindled a double-digit lead to five as the Knicks sputtered. Brunson also sat during that time, worsening the Knicks’ chances of holding the lead

After a Knicks bucket, the Spurs got within four on Wemby’s 3-pointer as Robinson was too slow to close out.

The Knicks managed to hold on, getting a push from Mikal Bridges to put New York up 84-75 entering the fourth.

And Wemby bricked a would be game-winner.

KAT and the Knicks exhaled. But the disappearing act nearly cost the Knicks the game.

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