Knicks erase 29-point deficit to beat Spurs 107-106

29 points separated the New York Knicks from a crushing NBA Finals loss before Madison Square Garden witnessed the largest comeback in Finals history. New York beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 on Wednesday night after OG Anunoby tipped in Jalen Brunson’s missed long 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left. The win gave the Knicks a 3-1 series lead and put them one victory from their first championship since 1973.

The Bottom Line

• The Knicks defeated the Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
• New York came back from a 29-point deficit, breaking the previous Finals comeback mark.
• OG Anunoby scored 33 points and made the game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining.
• Jalen Brunson led New York with 36 points as the Knicks took a 3-1 series lead.
• Game 5 is Saturday night in San Antonio, with the Knicks holding three chances to win the title.

Breaking It Down

For much of the night, the answer to the search question was simple: no, the Knicks did not look like they were going to win. San Antonio led by 27 points at halftime and stretched the margin to 81-52 in the third quarter. The Spurs opened by hitting 11 of their first 16 3-pointers, and NBA.com’s game breakdown noted that San Antonio scored 57 points on its first 29 possessions.

The shift began after Victor Wembanyama picked up a flagrant foul early in the third quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns made two free throws, and the Knicks followed with a 13-0 run that pulled Madison Square Garden back into the game. New York held the Spurs to 14 points on 4-for-20 shooting in the third quarter, turning a blowout into a real contest.

The final minutes were chaotic even by playoff standards. Brunson’s late 3 cut the Spurs’ lead to one, Jose Alvarado and Brunson hit back-to-back 3s, and Josh Hart missed a potential go-ahead layup. Wembanyama, who had 24 points and 13 rebounds, missed two free throws with 1:47 left while San Antonio led by one.

Then came the sequence that will follow both teams for years. De’Aaron Fox had a chance to protect the ball after a long rebound but attempted a layup that Anunoby blocked. After a Knicks timeout, Brunson missed from deep, Anunoby crashed from the inbound spot, and his right hand redirected the ball through the rim with 1.2 seconds left.

Why This Matters

This was not just a comeback; it changed the shape of the series. The Knicks now lead 3-1, and NPR reported that no team had come from more than 24 points down in a Finals game since detailed play-by-play tracking for all four quarters began in 1997. Boston held that prior Finals mark after coming back against the Lakers in 2008.

The numbers explain why the result feels so extreme. According to NBA.com, teams had gone 12-4,088 in games they trailed by at least 29 points over the past 30 years of play-by-play data, including a 2-228 record in playoff games. New York flipped a game that history says almost never turns.

For New York fans, the stakes are bigger than one night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have not won the NBA championship since 1973, and Game 4 moved them within one win of ending a 53-year wait. Gothamist reported that thousands of fans flooded Midtown after the final buzzer, with crowds filling streets around the arena and police later reporting arrests and damage tied to the celebrations.

What Comes Next

Game 5 is set for Saturday night in San Antonio. The Knicks have three chances to win the championship, while the Spurs must win to send the series back to New York for Game 6 on Tuesday.

San Antonio’s challenge is clear: protect leads and repair a second-half offense that collapsed after a dominant start. The Spurs shot 3-for-17 from 3-point range in the second half, while the Knicks outscored them 58-30 after halftime.