Can the San Antonio Spurs comeback against the Knicks? The challenge that will define a generation

San Antonio Spurs faces the toughest moment of their entire season. The historic defeat suffered in the fourth game of the 2026 NBA Finals, after squandering a 29-point lead against the New York Knicks, has left the Texan team on the brink. The New Yorkers' 107-106 victory puts the series at 3-1, obligating Mitch Johnson's men to win three consecutive games if they want to conquer the championship.

The question now on everyone's mind in the NBA is obvious: do they really have a chance to come back? History says it will be extremely challenging. However, what the Spurs have shown throughout much of these Finals also suggests that it would not be prudent to count them out. Because beyond the result, San Antonio has demonstrated in many stretches of the series that they can compete and even dominate a Knicks team that is just one victory away from the title.

The hardest possible morale blow

What happened at Madison Square Garden may haunt the Spurs for a long time.

San Antonio led by 29 points on a night that seemed destined to restore balance to the Finals. For much of the game, the Texans were clearly superior and went into halftime with a massive lead. However, everything crumbled in a second half that will be forever marked in NBA Finals history. The Knicks ultimately completed the largest comeback ever seen at this stage of the competition.

What is most concerning is not only the defeat but the manner in which it occurred.

During various stretches of the second half, the Spurs lost offensive fluidity, stopped moving the ball with the same precision, and began making hasty decisions. The pressure mounted possession after possession until leading to one of the most painful collapses remembered in a title series.

Now the challenge will be mainly mental.

The first step is to win the fifth game

Talking about overcoming a 3-1 deficit may sound appealing, but the reality is much simpler.

The Spurs do not need to think about three consecutive victories. They need to focus on one.

The primary goal should be to survive Game 5 in San Antonio and put pressure back on the Knicks. If they manage to win that game, the narrative of the series will automatically shift. New York would go from celebrating a potential championship to facing a sixth game with the obligation to close out the series.

And that's precisely where the Spurs must lean on.

The series has made it clear that they can compete against this rival. In fact, for many minutes, they have even seemed like the more dominant team. The issue has not been so much about basketball as it has been emotional.

In terms of gameplay, San Antonio has reasons to believe

What sets this situation apart from other practically decided series is that the Spurs are not being swept or clearly outplayed.

On the contrary.

Victor Wembanyama is performing at an extraordinary level. Dylan Harper continues to show a maturity uncharacteristic of a rookie. Stephon Castle is growing under pressure. Even in the lost games, San Antonio has been able to generate significant advantages and control long stretches of play.

That's why it's hard to speak of a crushing superiority of the Knicks.

The feeling is that the Texans are losing more due to specific details, execution errors, and emotional management issues rather than a real difference in talent or competitiveness.

And that's precisely why there is still hope.

Managing the tension will be more important than any tactical adjustment

At this stage of the Finals, tactical changes have a relative importance.

The real battle is being fought on another ground.

The Spurs need to show that they have learned from what happened in the fourth game. They need to execute better when the opponent strings together positive runs, avoid getting rushed, and maintain the same aggressiveness throughout the 48 minutes.

Because when they have played confidently, they have posed huge difficulties for New York.

The experience of players like De'Aaron Fox and the presence of a generational figure like Wembanyama should help stabilize the team in the most pressured moments.

The question is whether such a young squad will be able to respond after a psychological blow of such magnitude.

History plays against San Antonio

The precedents are damning.

Making a comeback from a 3-1 deficit in NBA playoffs is one of the toughest tasks in professional sports. Throughout history, only a small group of teams has managed to turn around such a situation. More recently, the Detroit Pistons joined that list during the 2026 playoffs, confirming how exceptional such a comeback still is.

When specifically talking about the NBA Finals, the challenge is even greater.

Only once has a team come back from a 3-1 deficit to become champion. It was LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, when they defeated the Golden State Warriors after losing the first two games, falling 3-1 behind, and completing one of the greatest feats in basketball history.

Since then, no other team has replicated that achievement.

In addition, historical statistics overwhelmingly favor the teams that take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

The legacy of a generation is at stake

Whether the comeback happens or not, these upcoming days could shape the future of the Spurs.

The defeat in the fourth game was devastating, but it also represents an opportunity.

Great teams are usually defined by how they react when all seems lost. And this roster has been showing for months that it possesses a special spirit. Harper, Castle, and Wembanyama have accelerated the franchise's growth timelines and have taken San Antonio much further than many expected.

Now comes the ultimate test.

History says that coming back from a 3-1 deficit is nearly impossible. The Finals say that only one team has achieved it. But the basketball displayed by the Spurs for much of this series also suggests that it would be a mistake to completely write them off.

First, they must win the fifth game. Then there will be time to consider a comeback that, if it happens, would hold a special place among the greatest feats in NBA history.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ¿Puede San Antonio Spurs remontar a los Knicks? El desafío que marcará a una generación