Historic comeback by the Knicks against the Spurs to touch the Ring
Never before had a team turned around a 29-point deficit: madness in NY, madness at the Madison
The New York Knicks are just one win away from clinching their first championship since 1973 after staging a historic comeback against the San Antonio Spurs. The New York team overcame a 29-point deficit to win 107-106 in the fourth game of the NBA Finals, with OG Anunoby sinking the game-winning basket at the buzzer.
Just when it seemed the series was headed for a tie, Anunoby came through in the clutch. With 2.1 seconds left on the clock, the forward grabbed a rebound off a missed three-pointer by Jalen Brunson, then rose above everyone and delicately tipped the ball in, sealing the victory for the Knicks in a Madison Square Garden that erupted with excitement.
"It's probably the most iconic shot in New York basketball history," said coach Mike Brown after the game. Karl-Anthony Towns also praised his teammate's performance: "It was the hand of God."
The win had epic proportions. The Spurs had a 29-point lead during the third quarter and went into halftime up by 27, the largest halftime lead by a visiting team in Finals history. Nonetheless, the Knicks once again showed extraordinary resilience.
Brunson led the comeback with 36 points, while Anunoby added 33. Together, they rallied a team that had already demonstrated their character throughout the playoffs, refusing to give up despite San Antonio's significant dominance for much of the game.
"We are a very resilient group. We've been through a lot and have come back before. It's about keeping on fighting and not getting frustrated," explained Anunoby.
The comeback will go down in Finals history. Since the NBA began recording possessions in detail in 1997, no team had won a championship game after being 29 points behind. The previous record belonged to the Boston Celtics, who overcame a 24-point deficit against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 Finals.
Josh Hart acknowledged that the team set incremental goals during the pursuit. First, they aimed to cut the lead to 20 points, then to 10. By the start of the final quarter, confidence was high.
"In the fourth quarter, you think it's time to win. Anything can happen," stated the forward.
And it did. The Knicks limited the Spurs to just 14 points in the third quarter, capitalizing on the visitors' offensive collapse. After shooting an impressive 11 of 16 on three-pointers in the first half, San Antonio struggled, going 3 of 17 from beyond the arc in the second half.
"We retreated, missed shots, and it's disappointing, to say the least," lamented coach Mitch Johnson.
Wemby couldn't prevent the Spurs' defeat
Victor Wembanyama finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, although he had an uneven shooting night with 9 of 25 from the field. Moreover, the Frenchman missed two free throws with 1:47 remaining when the Spurs were up 104-103, a crucial moment.
Dylan Harper contributed 21 points for San Antonio, while De'Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell each added 18. Despite this, the Texans squandered a prime opportunity to reclaim home-court advantage in the series.
The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was indescribable. Fans went from despair to absolute jubilation, celebrating the victory by singing Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" after witnessing one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history.
Now the Knicks lead the Finals 3-1 and have three chances to secure the championship. The first opportunity will come this Saturday in San Antonio. The Spurs, on the other hand, will try to avoid this outcome and force a sixth game in New York.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Remontada histórica de los Knicks ante los Spurs para rozar el Anillo
