By Matija Šerić
Miracles are rare in sports, especially in the NBA Finals, but every now and then, extraordinary moments do happen. One such moment occurred in last night’s Game 4 of the Finals between New York and San Antonio. At the legendary Madison Square Garden, the Knicks overturned a massive 29-point deficit early in the third quarter (81:52) to eventually snatch a 107:106 win at the buzzer. New York now leads the series 3–1 and is on the verge of its first title since 1973. The following analysis will show how the Spurs carelessly threw away a game they had all but won, along with home-court advantage.
Brutal first quarter by the Spurs
The visitors started the game in the best possible way. Devin Vassell, Victor Wembanyama, and Julian Champagnie, with their dazzling offensive play and solid defense, built an early 12:2 lead within three minutes. Although New York tried to defend, the Spurs were punishing them from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of their first 6 three-pointers. Wemby dominated both from deep and inside the paint, while all his teammates showed impressive shooting form. At the end of the first quarter, San Antonio led 41:22.
San Antonio sets a record Finals lead
It was clear the Texas team was on a historic mission. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby kept New York in the game, preventing a complete collapse. The second quarter continued in the same rhythm as the first. The visitors were hitting almost everything they threw up. De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant, and Champagnie kept draining threes. Brunson and Josh Hart managed to steal some possessions and keep the Knicks somewhat alive. At halftime, the score was an unbelievable 76:49 — a 27-point Spurs lead, with 14 made threes, a new record for a single half in an NBA Finals game. The 27-point halftime lead was also the largest ever in NBA Finals history. San Antonio had full control and looked set to cruise to victory.
Wemby’s flagrant foul signaled trouble for the Spurs
At the start of the third quarter, everything still went according to plan. With 9:41 left in the period, Fox scored to make it 81:52. At that moment, the Knicks began crafting the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. Symbolically, right then, Wembanyama struck Karl-Anthony Towns in the face with an elbow and was called for a flagrant foul, though not ejected. That hit seemed to ignite the struggling Knicks.
Anunoby — the man who led the Knicks’ comeback
At 81:54, Keldon Johnson missed three attempts, and on the fast break Anunoby finished with a dunk, emerging as the leader of the comeback and ultimately the game’s decisive figure. The Spurs suddenly stopped playing. Alongside Anunoby, Brunson, Hart, and the rest of the Knicks shined. They used the three-pointer as their main weapon to return to the game. At the end of the third quarter, the score was 90:75. Although the Spurs’ lead had shrunk from 29 to 15, it was still a significant margin for an NBA Finals game. However, San Antonio had clearly lost momentum, while New York was now in control.
New York’s 20:4 run
At the start of the final quarter (with 9:30 remaining), after a tip-in by Wembanyama, the Spurs led 95:75. From that point on, everything went wrong for the visitors. Jose Alvarado, Mikal Bridges, Towns, Anunoby, and Brunson scored from all positions, reducing the gap to 99:92 with about 5:20 left. With 4:32 remaining, the Knicks cut it to 99:95 after a 20:4 run in just over five minutes.
San Antonio looked unrecognizable
Although Fox hit a three-pointer to make it 102:95, it did not help the visitors, who were completely psychologically shaken. Brunson hit a three to bring it to 104:103. Wemby then missed two free throws. Brunson followed with a floater to make it 105:104. Castle then hit two free throws for 106:105.
Fox’s crucial mistake
The Knicks had a possession to take the lead, which Brunson wasted, and on the fast break 11 seconds from the end Fox failed to convert a layup for a +3 lead, as he was blocked by Anunoby. That decision proved fatal, as he could have dribbled out the clock and forced an intentional foul situation. Instead, everything went in the opposite direction.
Wemby’s costly mistake
After the timeout, the Knicks had 5.7 seconds for the final possession. Anunoby inbounded to Brunson, who took a deep three that bounced off the rim, but Anunoby sneaked in from behind and scored for 107:106. Wembanyama made a mistake by not protecting the rim and instead standing in front of Brunson. With 1.2 seconds left, Harper inbounded but Castle failed to secure the ball, and that was it.
Anunoby — the man of the moment
OG Anunoby blocked Fox’s shot on defense in the final crucial sequences and then scored the winning points in attack. He finished as the game’s MVP with 33 points and 4 rebounds. Brunson was once again phenomenal with 36 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. Towns added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Interestingly, these three were the only Knicks players in double digits. Still, two elite-level performers were enough for this extraordinary win.
Better shooting night for New York
The Knicks shot 46% from the field compared to San Antonio’s 42%. New York also edged the three-point battle 17–15, as the Spurs nearly stopped shooting from deep in the second half, with Fox hitting their only three. The Spurs had more rebounds (42–39), fewer turnovers (12–15), and more steals (10–6), but none of that mattered — points decide games.
“Unlucky Trump and lucky Taylor Swift” for the Knicks
The Knicks had strong celebrity support in the stands. Unlike Game 3, Donald Trump was absent, having “brought bad luck” to his team, while this time New York was accompanied by the most popular American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who, as a Knicks fan, largely overshadowed the game in media coverage (rightly so, given her unparalleled artistic status). Reports even suggest her wedding with Travis Kelce is planned for early July at MSG.
The risky nature of the Spurs
For San Antonio, Wembanyama was the best with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Harper added 21 off the bench, Vassell and Fox scored 18 each, while Castle had 13 points. Despite five players in double figures, it means nothing after such an incredible collapse. The bitterness they feel is comparable to gamblers who lose everything through reckless risk-taking — except here, the Spurs only have themselves to blame.
They scored 14 points in the third quarter and only 16 in the fourth. Scoring just 30 points in the second half of an NBA Finals game is simply not enough to win. Although concentration, rhythm, luck, and momentum were on New York’s side, the Spurs still could have won with slightly better shooting. But that is easy for analysts to say.
Costly inexperience of young talent
It may sound like a cliché, but the deciding factor was inexperience. Wembanyama, Fox, Castle, Vassell, and the rest showed tremendous talent, but lacked experience at the highest level — NBA Finals intensity. With more experience, the Spurs could have won Games 2 and 4 easily, and even Game 1 was within reach. Instead, they now trail 1–3.
New York on the verge of a historic title
After such a spectacular, cinematic victory, it is almost impossible for New York to lose the series. With a 3–1 lead and three match points, they also carry enormous emotional momentum. Realistically, the Knicks now have a 99% chance of winning the NBA championship. The emotionally drained Spurs will struggle to respond. Game 5 is scheduled for the night from Saturday to Sunday at the Frost Bank Center, and a comeback now looks extremely difficult — though if the Spurs managed to recover from 0–2 to nearly 2–2, they may still try one more historic turnaround.
