The New York Knicks are suddenly one win away from their first NBA championship since 1973 after pulling off a stunning 107–106 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 on Wednesday night.
What unfolded was historic. The Knicks looked completely finished early in the third quarter, trailing by as many as 29 points. Instead of collapsing, they authored the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, turning a blowout into a defining championship moment.
Most teams would have folded under those circumstances. These Knicks never did. Their belief stayed intact, led by superstar guard Jalen Brunson, whose calm but direct message in the huddle helped reset the group.
“Let’s just play basketball,” Brunson told his teammates. “Be smart. Stick together. We’ve come back from worse. Chip away.”
Technically, New York had never come back from a deficit this large before. This rally was the biggest comeback win in franchise history. Still, the Knicks had already proven throughout the postseason that no lead was truly safe against them.
Earlier in the playoffs, they erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland. That night, Brunson scored 15 points in the fourth quarter alone to force overtime, fueling a win that sparked a series sweep.
That momentum carried into the Finals, where New York entered on an 11-game winning streak and extended it to 13 by winning the first two games in San Antonio. Even after dropping Game 3, the Knicks still held control of the series — though Game 4 nearly unraveled in spectacular fashion.
The Spurs dominated early, racing out to a 41–22 lead after the first quarter and stretching it to 76–49 by halftime. They buried a Finals-record 14 three-pointers in the first half and appeared to have complete command. When the lead ballooned to 81–52 midway through the third quarter, the game looked over.
But belief lingered on the Knicks’ bench. Veteran guard Jose Alvarado kept urging his teammates to stay engaged.
“Stay with it,” he said. “Chop it down. They’re going to give it to us.”
That mindset proved critical. New York responded with a sudden 13–0 run, slicing the deficit nearly in half. San Antonio steadied itself and entered the fourth quarter up 90–75, then pushed the margin back to 20 with just over nine minutes remaining.
Once again, the Knicks refused to fold.
They stormed back with a 20–4 run, pulling within striking distance for the first time since the opening minutes. The pressure mounted, the crowd tightened, and every possession felt decisive.
With the Knicks trailing 106–105 in the final seconds, Brunson missed a floater. The rebound bounced ahead to De’Aaron Fox, who seemed poised to seal the game with the shot clock turned off. Instead of holding the ball, Fox attacked the rim — and OG Anunoby delivered a massive block to give New York one final chance.
Brunson’s deep three on the next possession missed, but Anunoby rose above everyone and tipped in the miss with just 1.2 seconds left. The Spurs never got a final shot off, sealing a shocking comeback and a 3–1 series lead for New York.
Anunoby finished with a brilliant 33-point performance on efficient shooting, adding timely defense and the game-winning tip-in. Brunson led all scorers with 36 points, along with five rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.
Now, with the championship within reach, the Knicks will once again rely on their stars — and the unwavering belief that just carried them through the impossible.