Spurs squander 29-point lead in historic NBA Finals collapse
Late-game errors from De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama allow New York to overturn deficit at Madison Square Garden
The San Antonio Spurs suffered a 107-106 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, surrendering a 29-point second-half lead. The loss marks the largest comeback in NBA Finals history and gives the Knicks a 3-1 series advantage, moving them to the brink of an NBA championship. The series now shifts to San Antonio for Game 5.
The Spurs had set a Finals record for first-half three-pointers, making 14, en route to a 76-49 halftime lead. However, they scored just 30 points in the second half. Despite leading all four games of the series with under two minutes remaining, the Spurs struggled to close out wins, a trend that culminated in this historic collapse.
De'Aaron Fox committed critical turnovers in the final seconds, including a poor decision to drive for a layup instead of holding the ball. This error allowed OG Anunoby to score the winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining. Fox recorded 44 second-half touches but averaged only 0.38 points per touch, missing four of five shots in the fourth quarter.
Victor Wembanyama missed two crucial free throws late in the fourth quarter, which contributed to the Knicks taking their first lead of the game. The Spurs made 17 of 20 free throws in the game, with Wembanyama responsible for the three misses. These errors followed similar late-game struggles in Games 1 and 2, where Wembanyama missed buzzer-beating jumpers.
Kenny Atkinson, the Spurs' head coach, expressed belief that the series should be tied 2-2 or that the Spurs should lead 3-1, citing their inability to hold leads. The loss snaps the Knicks’ 13-game winning streak and reverses the narrative from Game 3, where they had suffered a defeat despite a strong defensive effort.
