When New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson hit a 3-pointer over the outstretched arm of San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama with 2:21 left in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, Madison Square Garden sounded like the inside of a jet engine.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.That particular Brunson 3 cut the Spurs’ lead — which had climbed as high as 29 — to only one, and the fans could sense an improbable finish.The structural integrity of section 325 was in question as the roar of the crowd caused upper reaches of the arena to literally start rumbling.
A little over two minutes later, the Knicks completed the biggest Finals comeback in NBA history, as OG Anunoby’s one-handed tip-in with 1.2 seconds to go ultimately secured a 107-106 win for New York.“I’ve never heard it so loud,” one of the Knicks’ many celebrity fans could be heard saying in the bowels of the arena after the game.With a win Saturday in Game 5, New York will claim its first NBA title in 53 years.The Knicks began their ascent in the third quarter.
Trailing by 27 points at halftime, New York won the third quarter 26-14.The Knicks held the Spurs to only 20% shooting that quarter, while hitting 5-of-10 3-pointers to begin clawing into the deficit.
In the fourth, San Antonio still led by as many as 20 with 9:33 to go.Over the next four minutes and 59 seconds, New York unleashed a 20-4 run to cut the deficit to 99-95.
The run, fittingly, was capped by a 3 by Anunoby.The final four minutes and 34 seconds then featured an absolutely shocking number of twists and turns.In the minute following the Anunoby 3-pointer, the Spurs pushed their lead back out to seven with 3:31 to go.
Trailing 104-97, Knicks guards Jose Alvarado and Brunson answered with back-to-back 3s, cutting the score to 104-103.On San Antonio’s ensuing possession, De’Aaron Fox made a bad pass and Knicks guard Josh Hart stole the ball.He had a...