OG Anunoby delivered one of the most iconic performances in NBA Finals history on Wednesday night, scoring 33 points and tipping in the game-winning basket with 1.2 seconds remaining as the New York Knicks completed the largest comeback in Finals history, erasing a 29-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. The victory gives the Knicks a commanding 3-1 series lead as they close in on what would be their first NBA championship since 1973.
How the Knicks Pulled Off the Impossible: Inside the 29-Point Comeback
The game appeared all but over midway through the third quarter. The Spurs had built a seemingly insurmountable 76-49 lead behind sharp shooting and dominant defense, with rookie sensation Dylan Harper and veteran De'Aaron Fox dictating the tempo. Madison Square Garden fell into a stunned silence as San Antonio's bench celebrated what looked like a series-evening victory.
Then the Knicks began to chip away. Jalen Brunson caught fire, scoring 36 points on 12-of-25 shooting, but it was Anunoby who provided the defining two-way sequence that will live forever in Knicks lore. The Knicks outscored the Spurs an astonishing 58-30 in the second half, setting the stage for a frantic finish.
Trailing 106-105 with 11 seconds left, the Knicks needed a stop. Anunoby, the Knicks' defensive anchor, rose to the occasion, blocking Fox's shot in the paint — a play that Fox later admitted he mishandled. "I just thought I'd be able to outrun (OG Anunoby)," Fox said after the game. "That's it." The block gave New York one last chance with 4.2 seconds remaining.
Brunson inbounded and got the ball back, hoisting a deep three-pointer from the top of the key. The shot fell short, but Anunoby — who had already buried seven three-pointers on the night — crashed the glass and tipped the miss in with 1.2 seconds left, sending Madison Square Garden into absolute pandemonium.
"It feels cool," Anunoby said postgame with characteristic understatement.
Timeline: How the Knicks Completed the Largest Finals Comeback
First Quarter (Spurs 34, Knicks 23): San Antonio comes out firing, shooting 62% from the field. Victor Wembanyama controls the paint and the Spurs push the pace early.
Second Quarter (Spurs 30, Knicks 26; Spurs lead 64-49 at half): The lead swells to as many as 22 as the Spurs' defense forces six Knicks turnovers. Harper scores 14 in the first half.
Third Quarter — 7:42 mark (Spurs 76, Knicks 49): San Antonio's biggest lead of the night. The Garden crowd, once roaring, falls quiet. The Knicks' 13-game playoff winning streak and their championship hopes appear to be slipping away.
Third Quarter — 3:00 mark (Spurs 84, Knicks 66): A 17-2 Knicks run capped by back-to-back Anunoby three-pointers cuts the deficit to 18. The Garden begins to stir.
Fourth Quarter — 5:00 remaining (Knicks 93, Spurs 92): Brunson's floater gives New York its first lead since early in the first quarter. The Knicks have outscored the Spurs 44-16 in the second half to this point.
Fourth Quarter — 11 seconds remaining (Spurs 106, Knicks 105): Anunoby blocks Fox's shot. The Garden holds its collective breath.
Fourth Quarter — 1.2 seconds remaining (Knicks 107, Spurs 106): Anunoby tips in Brunson's missed three. The largest comeback in NBA Finals history is complete.
Why Anunoby's Performance Changes Everything: Expert Analysis and Impact
Anunoby finished with 33 points on an impossibly efficient 10-of-15 shooting, including 7-of-9 from three-point range and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, to go with four rebounds, one steal and that game-saving block. The stat line alone is legendary, but the context elevates it to icon status: it came on the biggest stage, in the most pressure-packed moments, against a Spurs team that had dominated for three quarters.
"You can't understand what OG does on both ends unless you watch the film," said one Eastern Conference scout who was at the game. "He's guarding the opponent's best player, spacing the floor, and then making the winning play. That's why they paid him $212 million."
Indeed, Anunoby's $212.5 million contract signed in the summer of 2024 was questioned by some as an overpay. Nights like these are the answer to those doubts. The performance vaulted him to the top of the NBA Finals MVP Ladder, according to NBA.com's Shaun Powell.
"That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball," one Knicks team source told NBA.com, via the game recap. For a franchise with two championships and a legacy that includes Willis Reed, Patrick Ewing, and Bernard King, that statement carries enormous weight — yet after Wednesday night, it's hard to argue.
The comeback also rewrote the NBA record books. The previous largest comeback in NBA Finals history was 24 points, set by the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008. The Knicks shattered that mark by five points, doing so on the hallowed floor of Madison Square Garden in front of a crowd that included Spike Lee, Wu-Tang Clan members, and a who's who of New York royalty.
Where Things Stand Now: Knicks On the Brink of History
The Knicks now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 with Game 5 set for Friday night, also at Madison Square Garden. A win would clinch New York's first NBA championship in 53 years, ending the longest active championship drought among the four major North American sports leagues.
History is on the Knicks' side: teams that take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals have gone on to win the series 31 of 32 times (96.9%). The only team to blow a 3-1 Finals lead was the 2016 Golden State Warriors, who fell to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For San Antonio, the challenge is clear: win three straight games, two of which would be on the road, against a Knicks team that now believes it can overcome any obstacle. The Spurs will look to regroup behind their young core of Wembanyama and Harper, but the psychological weight of blowing a 29-point lead in the Finals — the kind of collapse that defines legacies — will be difficult to shake.
What Happens Next: The Road Ahead for the Knicks and Spurs
Game 5 looms as the potential clincher, and the Knicks will have the full force of Madison Square Garden behind them. The matchup questions that plagued New York in Games 1 and 3 appear to have been answered by Tom Thibodeau's adjustments, particularly the decision to let Anunoby roam more defensively while trusting Brunson to orchestrate the offense.
For the Spurs, the adjustments are less tactical and more psychological. How do you come back from a 29-point blown lead in the Finals? How do you explain to yourselves that you were 11 seconds away from tying the series and now face elimination? Those questions will define San Antonio's offseason, whether it ends Friday or extends further.
If the Knicks do close out, Anunoby's Game 4 will be remembered as the defining moment of a championship run — the game where a quiet, relentless two-way star announced himself to the basketball world in the loudest possible way.
Key Takeaways from OG Anunoby's Game 4 Masterpiece
- Historic comeback: The Knicks erased a 29-point deficit, the largest in NBA Finals history, surpassing the previous record of 24 set by the Celtics in 2008
- Anunoby's legendary line: 33 points, 10-15 FG, 7-9 3PT, 6-6 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, and the game-winning tip-in
- Two-way heroics: Anunoby blocked De'Aaron Fox with 11 seconds left, then tipped in the winner on the other end — all in the final moments
- Series control: Knicks lead 3-1 and can clinch the franchise's first title since 1973 in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden
- Finals MVP favorite: Anunoby jumped to No. 1 on the NBA Finals MVP Ladder following his Game 4 heroics
