OG Anunoby Garden’s hero, Towns: “A hand sent by God”

The Madison Square Garden crowd witnessed a night that could be remembered in New York for decades. The New York Knicks rallied from a seemingly hopeless situation, overcoming a 29-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 thanks to OG Anunoby’s tip-in with 2.1 seconds remaining. The win gives the Knicks a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and moves them within one victory of their first championship since 1973.

A record comeback in the NBA Finals

For most of the night, the outcome appeared all but certain. San Antonio led 57-32 in the second quarter and stretched the advantage to 81-52 in the third. The young Spurs were shooting confidently from beyond the arc and appeared to have complete control of the game. Then everything changed.

The Knicks held the Spurs to just 14 points in the third quarter, using a 13-0 run to breathe life back into the contest. From that point on, it became a relentless surge fueled by energy, defense, and timely shot-making.

The Historic Number

No team had ever come back from more than a 24-point deficit in an NBA Finals game since the league began tracking complete play-by-play data in 1997. The Knicks erased a 29-point hole, making history in the process.

Brunson and Anunoby carry New York

Jalen Brunson led the comeback with 36 points, while OG Anunoby added 33, including the game-winning basket.

The final sequence has already become part of Knicks lore: Brunson’s three-point attempt hit the front rim, bounced high into the air, and Anunoby soared above everyone to tip it in with his right hand.

That has to be the most iconic shot in New York basketball history

Mike Brown

Karl-Anthony Towns delivered an even more colorful description:

A right hand sent by God

Karl-Anthony Towns

A team that never stops believing

The resilience of these Knicks was on full display once again. They had already erased a 22-point deficit against Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. This time, they went even further.

OG Anunoby explained the team’s mindset:

We’re a resilient team. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve come back from tough situations before. You have to stay the course, weather the storm, and not let frustration or anger take over

OG Anunoby

Josh Hart also described how the team’s mentality evolved as the game progressed:

When you’re down 29, you’re just trying to cut into the lead. Then you get to the fourth quarter and realize that’s when anything can happen

Josh Hart

The Spurs’ collapse

Victor Wembanyama finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, but shot just 9-for-25 from the field and missed two crucial free throws with 1:47 remaining. After a nearly flawless first half from three-point range, San Antonio went cold after the break, shooting just 3-for-17 from beyond the arc in the second half.

Coach Mitch Johnson did not hide his disappointment:

We got caught up in the moment and missed some important shots. It’s disappointing, without a doubt

Mitch Johnson

Victor Wembanyama added:

I can’t explain what happened. It started before the fourth quarter. In the second half, we weren’t the hungrier team

Victor Wembanyama

Now the title is within reach

With the Game 4 victory, New York now has three opportunities to close out the series and capture the championship. Game 5 will be played Saturday in San Antonio. In NBA Finals history, only one team – the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers – has ever come back from a 3-1 series deficit.

I just wanted one lucky break in my life, for something to finally go my way. I’m glad it happened for us

Karl-Anthony Towns

For the Knicks, after more than half a century of waiting, the finish line has never been closer.