New York, NY — Madison Square Garden witnessed one of the most dramatic nights in franchise history Wednesday as the New York Knicks erased a massive deficit and stunned the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 on a last-second tip-in by OG Anunoby, moving within a victory of their first NBA championship in more than five decades.
Trailing by as many as 29 points in the second half, the Knicks authored the largest comeback ever recorded in an NBA Finals game. The stunning turnaround culminated when Jalen Brunson’s contested three-pointer bounced off the rim and Anunoby soared above the crowd, redirecting the ball into the basket with just 1.2 seconds remaining.
The electrifying finish sent Madison Square Garden into a frenzy and gave New York a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series.
“We’ve battled through adversity all season,” Anunoby said afterward. “No matter the score, we believed we could get back into the game.”
Brunson spearheaded the comeback with a game-high 36 points, repeatedly attacking the Spurs defense during New York’s second-half surge. Anunoby added 33 points and delivered the defining moment of the night.
For much of the evening, however, the game appeared headed in the opposite direction.
San Antonio dominated the opening half, showcasing its youthful firepower behind Victor Wembanyama and a blistering perimeter attack. The Spurs connected on 11 of their first 16 attempts from beyond the arc and built a staggering 57-32 advantage midway through the second quarter.
By halftime, San Antonio held a 27-point cushion, the largest halftime lead ever established by a road team in an NBA Finals game.
The Knicks looked overwhelmed.
Then everything changed.
New York tightened defensively coming out of the locker room, holding San Antonio to just 14 third-quarter points. The Spurs struggled to generate offense, while the Knicks slowly chipped away at the deficit behind Brunson’s scoring and relentless energy on both ends of the floor.
A 13-0 run helped New York close the gap before the fourth quarter, setting the stage for another comeback that has become a hallmark of this postseason run.
The Knicks outscored the Spurs 58-30 during the second half and eventually seized their first lead late in the final period.
Even after San Antonio regained a slim advantage when Stephon Castle converted crucial free throws in the closing seconds, New York still had one final answer.
Brunson launched a deep three with time winding down. The shot fell short, but Anunoby anticipated the rebound perfectly, elevating above traffic and guiding the ball through the hoop for the game-winner.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who played a key role throughout the rally, called the play “a blessing” and praised Anunoby’s instinct and timing.
Wembanyama finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds but struggled offensively down the stretch, shooting 9-for-25 from the field. He also missed two critical free throws in the final two minutes that proved costly.
Dylan Harper contributed 21 points for San Antonio, while De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell added 18 points apiece.
The collapse was especially painful for the Spurs after controlling much of the contest. San Antonio led by double digits in the first quarter for the fourth consecutive game in the series and appeared poised to even the matchup before New York’s relentless push changed the outcome.
The victory places the Knicks one win away from ending a championship drought that dates back to 1973. They will have their first opportunity to clinch the title in Game 5 on Saturday night in San Antonio.
Only one team in NBA Finals history has ever overcome a 3-1 series deficit, leaving the Spurs facing a daunting challenge as they attempt to extend the series and force a return trip to New York.
