"A comeback victory that will go down in NBA Finals history": New York overcame a 29-point deficit with a "miracle tip-in" just 1.2 seconds before the final buzzer... One win away from their first championship in 52 years

*This content was translated by AI.

Praise poured in for the New York Knicks, who pulled off an unbelievable comeback drama, calling it "a comeback victory that will go down in NBA Finals history." Thanks to this, New York needs just one more win to secure their first championship since 1973, 52 years ago.

On the 11th (Korean time), New York defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in a thrilling comeback victory in Game 4 of the 2025-2026 NBA Finals (best-of-seven) at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. This victory gave New York a 3-1 series lead, bringing them one step closer to the championship. After winning both Games 1 and 2 on the road, they lost Game 3, but secured a dramatic win in Game 4 to regain momentum.

New York had endured a long dark period. Their last championship was in 1973. They had not even reached the Finals since 1999. However, this season they advanced to the Finals for the first time in 27 years, and now need just one win to claim the title.

It was an incredible game. The best moment came at the very end. With New York trailing 105-106 just before the final buzzer, ace Jalen Brunson attempted a three-point shot from a long distance. The ball hit the front of the rim and bounced out. At that moment, a player leaped toward the ball. It was OG Anunoby of New York. Anunoby extended his right arm and gently tipped the ball, which then fell straight into the basket.

Only 1.2 seconds remained on the scoreboard. Madison Square Garden erupted. The New York players held off the final San Antonio attack to the very end, preserving their miraculous victory.

Anunoby instantly became the hero of the victory. New York head coach Mike Brown praised Anunoby's tip-in, saying, "It should be the most iconic shot in New York basketball history." His teammate Karl-Anthony Towns also called it "God's right hand."

In fact, this New York victory was a result created by the entire team. New York trailed by 27 points in the first half, and at one point in the third quarter, the score was 52-81, a staggering 29-point deficit, making defeat seem inevitable. However, the New York players did not give up. Brunson and Anunoby led the comeback with fierce scoring. In particular, Anunoby recorded a crucial block shot just before making the game-winning tip-in, laying the foundation for the team's victory. Then, on the final possession, he ended the game with an unbelievable tip-in.

According to the U.S. Associated Press, this game was the largest comeback in NBA Finals history since the league began officially recording detailed game statistics in 1997. The previous record was a 24-point comeback by the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008. New York has now rewritten that record with this 29-point comeback victory.

Even when expanding the scope to the entire playoffs, there has been only one larger comeback victory. That was the 2019 game where the Los Angeles Clippers overcame a 31-point deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors.

U.S. ESPN also highlighted New York's comeback victory as "a historic comeback in NBA Finals history."

After the game, Anunoby said, "We are a team that can rise again. We have gone through a lot, but we have come back from being behind multiple times. We just tried to hold on, get through the tough moments, and not give up."

New York forward Josh Hart also reflected on the process of the historic comeback. He said, "When we were down by 29 points, I thought, 'Okay, let's cut it to 20 points.' When there were three minutes left in the third quarter, we were down by 18 points, and at that time, I decided, 'Let's cut it to 10 points.' In the fourth quarter, I thought, 'Now it's winning time. Anything can happen.'"

On this day, New York's ace Brunson led the offense with 36 points, while Anunoby also played brilliantly with 33 points. On the other hand, San Antonio's key big man Victor Wembanyama recorded a double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds, but he could only make 9 of his 25 field goal attempts, leaving him with regret.

Regarding this comeback loss, Wembanyama said, "I think it started before the fourth quarter. I don't know how to explain it now. But we were not the team that was more desperate in the second half."

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*This content was translated by AI.