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Knicks 107, Spurs 106: Four Takeaways As OG Anunoby's Winning Tip-In Completes New York's Stunning 29-Point Rally

By Ryan Phillips & Blake Silverman Sports Illustrated

The Knicks have found ways to win throughout their incredible postseason run, but they outdid themselves Wednesday night.

Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and the Spurs was a snooze fest for much of the game as San Antonio caught fire in the first half and led by 27 points at halftime. New York never wavered, though, and held the Spurs to just 30 points in the second half to complete the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history.

If the Knicks were to pull off this type of comeback or have a chance to win a Finals game at the buzzer, the presumed hero was set to be the proclaimed King of New York, Jalen Brunson. He provided plenty of heroics throughout the Knicks' incredible comeback, including a huge three-pointer to cut San Antonio's lead to one point with two and a half minutes remaining that almost blew the roof off Madison Square Garden.

Down one with 5.7 seconds left, the Knicks looked to Brunson, the ball in the superstar's hands with the game-and possibly a championship-on the line. Brunson's three hit the front iron but OG Anunoby crashed the glass and leaped between three Spurs for an unbelievable tip-in that sealed a remarkable comeback for a 107–106 Knicks win.

Anunoby's putback is a classic NBA Finals moment and the signature of the Knicks' impeccable postseason-a playoff run that included a 13-game winning streak. Brunson and Anunoby led the way with 36 and 33 points, respectively, on a night that will live on forever in NBA history.

It's a crushing loss for San Antonio, which was a historic collapse short of tying the Finals at two games apiece as the series headed back to Texas. Victor Wembanyama went 3-for-14 in the second half and missed two big free throws down the stretch, and he picked up another flagrant foul in the process. Although the Spurs are a resilient group, a loss that drastic is nothing short of catastrophic.

With the Knicks now ahead 3–1 and one win short of the franchise's first title since 1973, here are our biggest takeaways from a truly incomprehensible game.

OG Anunoby provides an all-time Finals moment

You want drama? OG Anunoby provided it, capping one of the best games of his career with one of the greatest plays in NBA Finals history.

Jalen Brunson's number was called on the Knicks' final possession, as they trailed 106-105. He took the ball with 5.7 seconds remaining in the game and launched a 30-footer over the outstretched arm of Victor Wembanyama. It hit the rim and floated in the air for what felt like an eternity. Anunoby, never one to give up on a play, hustled toward the rim after making the inbounds pass and crashed the boards hard, soaring through the air like New York's version of Superman. On this night, that's exactly what he was. His outstretched fingertips got a piece of the rebound and the ball fluttered into the hoop with 1.2 seconds remaining. Bedlam reigned in Madison Square Garden as he landed on the floor.

It wasn't Anunoby's first big play of the game. In fact, he made them all night. The 28-year-old forward helped propel New York back from a 29-point deficit with deft shooting from the outside, racking up 33 points while hitting 10-of-15 shots from the field and 7-for-9 from beyond the arc. He also provided a clutch late block of a De'Aaron Fox layup attempt that earned the Knicks their final possession.

Anunoby doesn't talk a whole lot on the court. He's the kind of guy who lets his play speak for him. In one of the biggest moments in NBA Finals history, it wasn't New York's All-Stars who stepped up to make the play that mattered. On Wednesday night, it was OG Anunoby who ensured his squad kept its advantage in the series with an all-time play in what will go down in history as one of the best games in Finals history. He was the superhero the Knicks needed in the moment it mattered most.

Spurs' historic collapse takes wind out of San Antonio's sails

The Knicks had all the momentum as the Finals shifted to Madison Square Garden for Game 3. San Antonio answered with a huge win to make this a series, but a 29-point blown lead removes any mojo the Spurs had. New York pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history and moves the team one win away from the title. It's still the first team to win four games, but the Game 4 loss is maybe the most unfathomable defeat in recent memory, a tough one to come back from. If there's one thing that's working in the Spurs' favor, however, it's that they have already overcome an incredible amount of adversity throughout the playoffs.

San Antonio defeated the defending champion Thunder on the road in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Game 3 at MSG was maybe the most highly anticipated NBA game in recent memory, and the Spurs walked into the hostile environment and took care of business. The Knicks have been the better team thus far without a question. Although the Spurs' title hopes are dwindling, Wembanyama and company have at least one more game to say something about that.

No matter how resilient this Spurs bunch is, though, the devastating loss feels too difficult to overcome. It's not over until the curtain falls, but that may have happened with Anunoby's incredible tip-in on Wednesday night.

Jalen Brunson was the biggest star in New York on Wednesday night

In an arena packed with celebrities, Brunson was the shining star on Wednesday night. The Knicks' guard has struggled with his shooting throughout the Finals but managed to coax his team into a 2-0 lead as it left San Antonio. He struggled a bit in Game 3, but as his team fell apart around him in Game 4, he was the only steady presence. Then he closed like the superstar he is.

Brunson had 19 points, two rebounds, three assists, and two steals at the break as the Knicks fell behind early. He had shot an inefficient 6-for-14, but he and Anunoby were the only players wearing white who had a pulse. The second half then belonged to Brunson.

Brunson sparked the Knicks midway through the third quarter, as he scored eight points, added two more assists and was a +12. In the fourth, he took over the game, scoring nine points, adding two rebounds and two assists and finishing +18 over the final 12 minutes. After Wembanyama hit a jumper to give the Spurs a 104-97 lead with 3:31 left, Brunson made plays on three of the next four possessions to turn the game. He hit Jose Alvarado for a three-pointer, then hit a three of his own to tighten the score to 104-103 with 2:21 remaining. After Josh Hart missed a breakaway layup and Wembanyama missed two free throws, Brunson weaved his way through the Spurs defense and made a five-foot floater to give the Knicks a 105-104 lead with 1:22 to go. It was their first lead of the game.

While Anunoby's heroics are what everyone will remember, the Knicks never would have gotten there without Brunson. He finished with 36 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals, and he was +11 for the contest. He was the best player on the floor in Game 4.

The Knicks are on the brink

Prepare to celebrate, New York, as your Knicks are in a place they haven't been in 32 years: one game away from an NBA championship.

Entering Wednesday night, everyone knew Game 4 marked a hinge point for this series. Either the Spurs were going to win and retake home court advantage or New York would win and put itself in a position to close things out in Game 5. After the Knicks' epic comeback from a 29-point deficit, this series looks all but over.

The Spurs led by 29 on two occasions: first with 3:06 remaining in the first half, then again with 9:40 left in the third quarter. From that point on, they were outscored 57-25. San Antonio is a stunningly young team, and this loss will almost certainly be a blow to their psyche. They had the upper hand in this series in their grasp and let it slip away over an agonizing final 20 minutes.

Wembanyama and his teammates have defied the odds before, but getting up off the mat after that collapse and winning three games in a row against this opponent feels like a bridge too far.

The Knicks showed what they're made of in Game 4. If nothing else, they have guts. It's a tough team that has handled adversity well throughout the postseason. They proved themselves a worthy champion on Wednesday night. Now all that's left is to close this thing out.

Recap of NBA Finals Game 4: Knicks 107, Spurs 106

How to watch Wednesday's NBA Finals game between the Knicks and Spurs

The entirety of the NBA Finals will be broadcast on ABC and available for streaming on ESPN's suite of digital platforms.

Mike Breen, a Knicks broadcaster for MSG Networks during the regular season, will be on the call for ABC, joined by analysts Tim Legler and Richard Jefferson. Lisa Salters will serve as sideline reporter for the game.

Recapping the 2026 NBA Finals so far ahead of Knicks vs. Spurs Game 4

OG Anunoby had a huge performance in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
OG Anunoby had a huge performance in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This has been a very tight series in all three games, made even closer by the Spurs' Game 3 win. San Antonio has jumped out to quick lead in all three games and has a major edge in the first quarter in the series. And in all three games, the Knicks responded in a significant way.

In the first game of the series, New York outscored San Antonio by 17 in the second half and survived a late fourth-quarter run to pull out the win, 105–95.

Game 2 played out in a similar way. The Spurs led after the first quarter, 34–25, but the Knicks had a huge second quarter to erase that early lead and go ahead into halftime. After a quiet start to the series, Wembanyama came alive down the stretch and led the way on a 14–0 San Antonio run, briefly taking the lead in the final minute. Jalen Brunson tied the game up moments later, and bad late turnover by San Antonio's star center put the ball in Brunson's hands with under 10 seconds left.

He was fouled, and converted on 1 of 2 free throws at the line to put New York up 105–104, which proved to be the final score after a Wemby miss to end the game.

In Game 3, the Spurs once again gave away its big, early lead with a -18 second quarter, but put it all together in the second half. Wembanyama had his best game of the Finals with 32 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and San Antonio withstood the road pressure to pull out a 115–111 victory.

More NBA Finals From Sports Illustrated

Listen to SI's NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI's YouTube channel.



This article was originally published on www.si.com as Knicks 107, Spurs 106: Four Takeaways As OG Anunoby's Winning Tip-In Completes New York's Stunning 29-Point Rally.

Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM.

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