OG Anunoby provided the dramatic late twist as the New York Knicks completed the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history to see off the San Antonio Spurs and move 3-1 up in the series.
The Knicks are now one win away from their first NBA title in 53 years.
The momentum is certainly with Mike Brown’s team after a remarkable night at Madison Square Garden that saw the Spurs lead by 29 points before New York’s rally was capped when Anunoby touched in a rebound after Jalen Brunson’s three-pointer had hit the rim with 1.2 seconds remaining.
That completed a 107-106 win and the Knicks will fly to San Antonio for Game Five on Saturday night in buoyant mood.
“We know it’s a game of runs,” said Anunoby. “We’re a resilient group. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve come back plenty of times when we’re behind. Just staying with it, weathering the storm, not being too down or angry or frustrated. Just staying with it, cut down to 18, cut it down to six, push it through. It’s a 48-minute game, just play ’til the end.”
We are never out of a game – Knicks coach Brown
Anunoby finished with 33 points and Brunson 36 as New York bounced back from the setback of losing Game Three.
“Coming from 29 down or 27 down, whatever it is, it gives you the confidence to know that, OK, hey, we are never out of a game,” Brown said. “And if we’re down again, which you hope you don’t get down that much, let’s just keep fighting. Let’s keep doing what we’re doing. But maybe try to do a little better. Make an adjustment here. Make an adjustment there and see what happens.”
The crushing nature of the defeat appeared to have an effect on a silent Spurs locker room.
The road team had dominated an opening half in which the Knicks seemed more intent on going after Victor Wembanyama than playing basketball.
The result was a 27-point lead and complete control.
“To put as much good work into that first half as we did, get the lead that we had and not finish the job is disappointing to say the least,” admitted coach Mitch Johnson, whose team managed just 30 points in a lop-sided second half.
Wembanyama walks a tightrope after another flagrant
Wembanyama scored a team-high 24 points but was handed another flagrant foul that puts him one point away from a suspension.
The Frenchman will now have to inspire a Spurs comeback while not crossing the line for physicality.
Wembanyama, like his team-mates, cut a dejected figure afterwards, saying: “What’s going through my mind right now? I think it’s going to go one of two ways: a bad one and a good one. The bad one would be giving up. The good one would be getting stronger through this, getting more together. I know this is what we’re going to do.
“We’ve proven we can surpass these difficulties. Even though we haven’t been there before, I’m convinced we’re built that way and we’re going to use the better of this. It’s going to tighten us up.”
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson also attempted to issue a rallying cry.
“I feel like even up to the last buzzer, we believed we were going to win or that we were supposed to win,” he said. “We’re all human. It hurts. We want to win. We’re so close, but so far. We’re going to continue what we do, bring our brand of basketball and correct the things we can correct going forward. I believe, one through 15, whoever steps on the court, we’re going out there to get the job done.”
