The New York Knicks are one win away from their first NBA championship in 53 years, thanks to the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.
The Knicks came from 29 points down and moved to the brink of their first championship since 1973 by beating the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 of the finals, thanks to OG Anunoby’s miraculous tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining.
“That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said.
It’s certainly high on the list — as high as Anunoby leaped when Jalen Brunson’s long 3-point shot bounced off the front of the rim, with his right hand stretching high to softly flick it in.
However, Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns felt like it was a shot from the heavens.
“Right hand from God,” Towns said.
Here’s the iconic shot in case you missed it —
HE CAME OUT OF NOWHERE 🤯
OG ANUNOBY WITH THE CLUTCH PUTBACK FOR THE WIN! pic.twitter.com/2Io1w2Lw40
— NBA (@NBA) June 11, 2026
The Knicks, who have just two titles in their 80-year history and hadn’t even been to the NBA Finals since 1999, have a 3-1 lead and three chances to win the best-of-seven series.
However, the prospect of a comeback seemed impossible early as the Spurs rolled to a 27-point halftime lead. But Brunson helped bring the Knicks back with 36 points and Anunoby finished with 33.
No team had come from more than 24 points down in a finals game, when Boston did it against the Lakers in 2008, since the NBA began keeping detailed play-by-play for all four quarters in 1997.
The Spurs led 81-52 in the third quarter.
“We’re a resilient group. We’ve been through a lot,” Anunoby said.
“We’ve come back plenty of times when we’re behind. Just staying with it, weathering the storm, not being too down or angry or frustrated.”
The only bigger comeback on record in any playoff game was 31 points by the Los Angeles Clippers against Golden State in Game 2 of a first-round series in 2019.
“Coming from 29 down or 27 down, whatever it is, it gives you the confidence to know that, OK, hey, we are never out of a game,” Brown said.
“And if we’re down again, which you hope you don’t get down that much, let’s just keep fighting. Let’s keep doing what we’re doing. But maybe try to do a little better. Make an adjustment here. Make an adjustment there and see what happens.”
The Knicks now have a chance to make franchise history with Game 5 on Saturday night in San Antonio.