It was a historic night in Game Four of the NBA Finals, but it was a history of which the San Antonio Spurs would have preferred not to be involved.
After leading by as much as 29 points, the Spurs would collapse in historic fashion in the fourth quarter. An OG Anunoby tip-in with 1 second remaining capped off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, as the Spurs fell to the Knicks 107-106 in Game Four. That now puts the Spurs on the brink of elimination, and New York one win from a championship.
It did not take long for the Spurs to get going again, similar to Game Three, as they roared out to a 12-2 lead early in the first quarter. That lead would continue to hold for most of the frame, with Victor Wembanyama showing off his nimble abilities.
Wembanyama ended the night with 24-points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. The Spurs would grow the lead to nineteen by the end of the first quarter, their largest lead of the Finals.
San Antonio started the game hot once again, shooting 65-percent from the floor in the opening frame, and going 6-for-10 from deep. Devin Vassell hit four shots from behind the arc in the period, scoring 12 of his 18 points in the first quarter.
The Spurs kept building on their large lead in the second quarter, eventually extending their advantage to 29 points late in the frame. Vassell kept up his scorching hot night with another three that kept the pedal down.
The Knicks would battle as they could, but the Spurs led 76-49 by halftime.
San Antonio shot a blistering 60-percent from the floor in the opening half, going 14-for-26 from behind the arc. Conversely, the Knicks shot just 41-percent from the floor and went 4-for-12 from three. The Spurs also forced seven Knicks turnovers in the first half, scoring 16 points off the miscues.
New York would slash into the Spurs lead in the third quarter, eventually cutting it back to sixteen points midway through the period. But the Spurs would keep the Knicks stifled thanks to a big night from Dylan Harper off the bench.
Harper would end the night with 21 points, shooting 8-for-12 from the floor. The Spurs, while outscored 26-14 in the third quarter, would ultimately take a fifteen-point lead into the final frame.
But the fourth quarter, things turned into a horror movie for San Antonio.
The Knicks would come storming back to within seven midway through the quarter, then within four by the four-minute mark. The Spurs would hit back, taking a five-point lead, before the Knicks cut it back to one. After a pair of missed Wembanyama free throws, the Knicks would take the lead with a minute remaining.
Stephon Castle would hit two free throws to give San Antonio the lead. However, a late tip in by OG Anunoby with one second left put the Knicks ahead by one. The Spurs got an inbounds pass off to Castle but his final shot attempt went begging.
The Spurs also got a solid outing from De'Aaron Fox, who pitched in 15 points, to go along with the big nights from Wembanyama, Vassell and Harper. After a hot first half, the Spurs went cold in the second half. All told, San Antonio shot 42-percent from the floor and went 17-for-43 from three-point range.
Jalen Brunson led the way for New York with 36 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. OG Anunoby, who scored the game winner, added another 33 for the Knicks. The rest of the Knicks starters combined for just 26 points. Jose Alvarado added another 8 points, including a clutch three in the fourth quarter, off the bench.
The Knicks now lead the series 3-1 and are one win away from their first NBA title since 1973. But they will have to go through the Lone Star State to do it. Game Five is set for Saturday night in San Antonio.
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