OG Anunoby’s dramatic last-second tip-in may capture the spotlight, but it was his crucial defensive move moments before that set the stage for an epic NBA Finals Game 4 comeback.
On Wednesday night, the Knicks found themselves down by a single point with just 16.1 seconds remaining. Jalen Brunson’s missed two-point attempt sent the ball spiraling into the backcourt, where it was snatched up by the Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox, seemingly poised for a straightforward dunk or layup.
However, Anunoby’s relentless defense came through once again as he managed to block Fox’s attempt, preventing what would have been an easy score and returning possession to the Knicks.
Fox had the chance to run down the clock and force the Knicks to foul, but opted instead for an immediate shot—a decision that ultimately backfired.
Fox could have held onto the ball and killed some of the clock to force the Knicks into a foul, but he instead went for the immediate shot that obviously didn’t work out.
On the “Inside the NBA” postgame show, Charles Barkley called the decision for Fox to go for the layup “bonehead.”
“That was a dumbass play,” Barkley said. “He did not have to shoot that ball.”
After the Knicks set up on the next possession — following a Fox foul at midcourt and a timeout — Brunson’s miss set up Anunoby for the winning tip-in for the 107-106 victory, putting the Knicks one win away from their first championship since 1973.