Knicks stage historic comeback to take 3-1 NBA Finals lead over Spurs
Victor Wembanyama and head coach Mitch Johnson cite execution failures and mental lapses after Spurs surrender largest second-half deficit in Finals history since 1997.
The New York Knicks have taken a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals after overcoming a 29-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. The victory marks the largest comeback from behind in a Finals game since the league began keeping detailed play-by-play statistics for all four quarters in 1997, moving New York within one win of securing their first championship since 1973.
The contest appeared to be in hand for the Spurs during the first half, where they built a significant 29-point lead. San Antonio shot an NBA Finals-record 14 three-pointers and committed only two turnovers in the opening 24 minutes. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the second half, with the Knicks outscoring the Spurs 58-30. The Spurs’ shooting efficiency collapsed, recording 4-for-20 from three-point range in the third quarter and 4-for-19 in the fourth.
Jalen Brunson was instrumental in the Knicks' rally, finishing with 36 points, while OG Anunoby contributed 33 points. Anunoby secured the win with a tip-in off a missed long three-point attempt by Brunson with just 1.2 seconds remaining on the clock. The game-winning basket capped a period where New York’s physicality and versatility overwhelmed a Spurs team that struggled to maintain its early structural discipline.
In the aftermath, San Antonio’s leadership pointed to internal failures rather than external factors. Head coach Mitch Johnson described the loss as painful, noting the team failed to put energy in the right spots to secure the lead despite playing a clean game for the first half. Victor Wembanyama attributed the second-half collapse to a lack of hunger and execution, stating the team was not the most hungry in the second half and suffered from a sense of greediness in their decision-making.
The Spurs now face a 3-1 series deficit, a situation from which only one team in NBA history has ever recovered to win the championship. With the series returning to San Antonio for Game 5, the young core must address the mental lapses that allowed the Knicks to erase a substantial advantage. Wembanyama emphasised the need for accountability and communication, suggesting the team must use the pain of the collapse to tighten their performance in the decisive remaining games.
