SAN ANTONIO — In a thrilling twist of fate, OG Anunoby emerged as the hero with a dramatic flying tip-in of a missed Jalen Brunson three-pointer, sealing an unforgettable comeback victory for the Knicks. Anunoby’s crucial play with just 1.2 seconds left on the clock highlighted the Knicks’ recovery from a staggering 29-point deficit in their electrifying Game 4 win.
Let’s take a closer look at the pivotal moments of this remarkable game:
KAT’s timely deflection
The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was electric as Anunoby’s heroics put the Knicks one step closer to their first championship in 53 years. However, the San Antonio Spurs had one last opportunity to turn the tide. With a mere 1.2 seconds to play, they managed to inbound the ball to Stephon Castle for a potential alley-oop. Yet, Dylan Harper’s pass was intercepted by Towns, preventing Castle from taking a shot. Despite early foul trouble that limited his play, Towns delivered a strong performance in the second half, contributing seven points, seven rebounds, and two assists.
MSG Rims
The Knicks had a bit of luck on their side with the Garden rims favoring them at key moments. Anunoby’s step-back three-pointer was a prime example—it bounced off the front rim, kissed the backboard, and went in, narrowing the Spurs’ lead to 15 with less than a minute left in the third quarter. Another lucky break came with 9:15 left in the game when Jose Alvarado’s three-pointer from the left corner danced around the rim, hit the backboard, and finally dropped, keeping the Knicks in striking distance.
Backup’s star turn
Coach Mike Brown’s decision to rely on Jose Alvarado paid off in the final minutes. The backup point guard made a significant impact, scoring five consecutive points in the fourth quarter with a driving layup followed by a three-pointer. These crucial baskets, coming right after the Spurs had scored, maintained the Knicks’ momentum and cut their deficit to just four points with 3:07 remaining. Alvarado’s contributions were vital in keeping the Knicks’ hopes alive and ultimately securing a memorable victory.
Fox’s blunder
De’Aaron Fox’s decision to attack the basket rather than eat up precious seconds of the clock and wait to be fouled was a boneheaded mistake. After a Brunson miss with the Spurs up one point, there was a scramble for the rebound. Fox got to it first in the backcourt with roughly 12 seconds left. He went in for the layup, but was rejected by Anunoby. Fox had a terrible second half, shooting 2-for-8 from the field and committing four turnovers.
Johnson’s costly decisions
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson made two moves he likely regrets. The first one was playing Victor Wembanyama all but 50 seconds of the second half. The 7-foot-4 Frenchman was clearly fatigued late and not only missed 11 of 14 shots over the final two quarters, but also missed two critical free throws with 1:47 remaining. The second was not guarding the inbounder on the Knicks’ final possession. Anunoby threw the ball in to Brunson, and nobody was there to block him out on the game-winning tip-in.
A key successful challenge
Early in the fourth quarter, the Spurs inbounded the ball to Wembanyama. He was stripped, and the initial ruling gave San Antonio possession. Coach Mike Brown, advised by assistant coach Jordan Brink, challenged the call and won.