Dylan Backer
To beat the New York Knicks, it appears you have to fully knock them out. In Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, with the San Antonio Spurs carrying a 27-point halftime lead that later reached 29 points, they appeared to deliver that knockout punch.
The Knicks never quit
But the Knicks, who have gotten back up every time this postseason, did it again, this time on the biggest stage at a crucial point in the series. Down 29 points, New York stormed all the way back to win the game in the final seconds, with OG Anunoby’s tip-in layup with 1.2 seconds remaining potentially becoming the greatest shot in Knicks history.
The comeback was an iconic moment in NBA history. It is the largest deficit to be overcome in NBA Finals history, and most importantly, the win puts them just one win away from completing the championship quest for the first time in 53 years.
Jalen Brunson, who had struggled with his efficiency throughout the Finals, found a rhythm in the second half en route to a 36-point night. His shot-making, poise, composure, and will to win despite the big deficit propelled the Knicks to an all-time victory.
But, the man who stole the show was OG Anunoby, who finished with a playoff career-high 33 points on 10-15 shooting from the field and 7-9 from three. He became the first player in NBA Finals history to record at least 30 points, seven made threes, and shoot at least 60% from the field in a Finals game.
Additionally, he and Brunson became the first Knicks duo to each record 30+ points in a Finals game. The two have been the ultimate clutch performers throughout the postseason, both being instrumental in the team’s resilience.
The Knicks are still very clutch
Playing in clutch games wasn’t the norm for the Knicks throughout this postseason. Entering the Finals, they were outscoring their opponents by nearly 20 points per game, and had 11 of their 13 straight playoff wins be decided by double figures.
They are showing that they can prevail in any situation, with two of their three Finals wins being decided by one point. A couple plays that go differently, and this series could be looking a lot different for them.
New York had shown that they still have the clutch gene during the Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 1 against the Cavaliers, they overcame a 22-point fourth quarter deficit behind a 44-14 run to stun the Cavaliers in overtime, a game that proved to define the direction of that series.
Against the Spurs, a team much more talented than the Cavs, they trailed by 20 in the fourth quarter with around nine minutes left. They could have packed it in and focused on Game 5 if they wanted to, but they never gave up, and now they have all of the momentum heading into Game 5 in San Antonio.
The Knicks have a golden opportunity to close out a very good Spurs team in their own building after ripping their hearts out at Madison Square Garden. Get the job done, and this team will be talked about for ages.
More about:New York Knicks
