The Knicks pulled off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. Here’s how it happened.
New York erased a 29-point deficit and beat San Antonio 107-106 on OG Anunoby's tip-in to win Game 4.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
The Knicks turned Game 4 of the NBA Finals into a chaos-filled comeback, rallying from 29 down to beat the Spurs 107-106. OG Anunoby's late tip-in capped the biggest Finals comeback in league history and moved New York within one win of the title.
The Knicks were way behind, like a kid in a race who falls almost a whole lap back. But they kept running, made big shots, got lucky breaks, and finished with a tiny tip-in at the end to win by one point.
Analysis
How the comeback started
New York trailed by 27 at halftime and still faced a 20-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. The turnaround began in the third, when the Knicks outscored San Antonio 26-14 and held the Spurs to 20% shooting while hitting timely 3-pointers.
The closing sequence
The final minutes swung back and forth. Jalen Brunson hit a 3-pointer over Victor Wembanyama to trim the gap, Jose Alvarado and Brunson later hit back-to-back threes to get New York within one, and Josh Hart followed with a steal and a missed layup that could have been the game-changing play. San Antonio then had a chance to steady itself, but Wembanyama missed both free throws despite coming in as a strong foul shooter.
Brunson then put New York ahead with a floater, but the Spurs answered with free throws from Stephon Castle to retake the lead. On the last possession, De'Aaron Fox tried to attack instead of protecting the ball and was blocked by Anunoby. Brunson's ensuing miss on a deep 3 was tipped in by Anunoby with 1.2 seconds left.
Why it stood out
NBC News says it was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. The article frames Anunoby's tip-in as the decisive moment, with Knicks coach Mike Brown calling it "the most iconic shot" in New York basketball history. The win gives New York a chance to clinch the title in Game 5.
Key points
- The Knicks erased a 29-point deficit and won 107-106 in Game 4.
- OG Anunoby scored the winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds left.
- New York outplayed San Antonio in the third quarter and kept chipping away late.
- The Spurs missed key free throws and made costly mistakes in the final minute.
- A Game 5 win would give New York its first NBA title in 53 years.
If New York carries this momentum into Game 5, it could finish the series and win its first NBA title in 53 years. The article suggests the Knicks have enough late-game resilience and defensive pressure to keep forcing mistakes.
San Antonio still had a lead deep into the fourth quarter, so the Knicks were close to losing even after the comeback started. If the Spurs clean up their ball handling and free throws, New York may not get another opening like this.
