Game 4 of the NBA Finals had the New York Knicks hosting the San Antonio Spurs in Madison Square Garden. Exactly how did the Knicks’ historic comeback come to be?
The Spurs started on time, including a ten-point lead in the opening 3:30. Anytime the Knicks chipped into the lead, San Antonio was there to shut the door. New York center Karl-Anthony Towns was in foul trouble early, giving center Mitchell Robinson more minutes than planned.
Spurs’ center Victor Wembanyama also got into Richardson’s head, frustrating him into a flagrant foul in the closing minutes of the frame. The Knicks tried four different centers against Wembanyama, but to no avail. The lead was 20 at one point.
San Antonio’s defense also had New York settling and forcing shots. The Knicks finished the quarter 5 for 17 from the field, and down 41-22 at the break.
The Spurs kept the pedal to the floor in the second quarter, including building the lead to 27. That was the largest in the NBA Finals since the 2020 season. It wasn’t just Wembanyama dominating. San Antonio entered halftime with four guys in double-digit points and shooting 54% from three, as a team.
Knicks’ forward OG Anunoby and guard Jalen Brunson did their part, with a combined 33 points. A large issue was the remaining 16 points, spread across four scorers. That, combined with foul trouble playing against Wembanyama, was toxic. The Spurs entered halftime up 76-49.
3:33 into the third quarter, while fighting for position, Wembanyama caught Towns under the chin with an elbow. After official review, the center was charged with a flagrant one. This felt like a die-or-die momentum swing for New York. Not only did San Antonio go cold, but they also got sloppy. Their four turnovers in the third were double the number in the first half. The one-time lead of 29 was cut to 15 entering the fourth.
The story of the third quarter continued into the fourth. With less than seven minutes remaining, the Knicks cut the lead to single digits. Furthermore, Anunoby lit the crowd on fire with 4:26 on the clock. His three-pointer got his team within four.
Brunson took the drama to the next level. First, he cut the deficit to a single point with a clutch three. On the following play, Wembanyama missed both of his free throws. The resulting sequence gave New York its first lead of the game, which they held into the TV break, with 38.4 seconds on the clock. Spurs guard Dylan Harper was fouled on the subsequent play and drained both shots.
Down 106-105, the Knicks called a timeout with 30.3 seconds on the clock. A turnover at that end, followed by an Anunoby block on the other, led to another timeout with 5.7 to go.
Brunson rattled his attempt off the rim, but Anunoby came up clutch once again. He tipped back the rebound, going up by one with 1.2 seconds remaining. The inbound pass was deflected, and the largest comeback in NBA Finals history was complete.
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That’s how the Knicks’ historic comeback came to be. Game 5 will take these teams back to San Antonio, with the Spurs in a perpetual must-win series ahead.
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