Spurs squander historic lead as Knicks edge closer to title

The San Antonio Spurs suffered a historic collapse in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, surrendering a 29-point lead to lose 107-106 to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The defeat moves the Knicks within one victory of their first championship since 1973, while the Spurs’ inability to close out the series has drawn intense scrutiny from analysts and players alike.

OG Anunoby secured the victory for New York with a tip-in basket with 1.2 seconds remaining on the clock. The win erased the previous record for the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, which stood at 24 points set by the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008. The Spurs had held a 27-point lead at half-time, the largest such advantage for a road team in Finals history, yet managed only 30 points in the final two quarters.

Former NBA MVP Charles Barkley, appearing as an ESPN analyst, delivered a scathing assessment of the Spurs’ performance. Describing the team as “the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilisation,” Barkley criticised the squad for playing “mismanaged, stupid basketball” and failing to maintain focus despite the substantial lead. He noted that the Spurs effectively assisted the Knicks in winning the game through poor execution.

Shaquille O’Neal concurred with Barkley’s critique, stating that the Spurs played “terrible basketball” and became overly comfortable with their advantage. O’Neal observed that the team appeared to be anticipating a return to San Antonio rather than focusing on securing the win, contrasting their approach with the Knicks, who he argued fought like a champion.

San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama, who recorded a team-high 24 points and 13 rebounds, struggled to explain the collapse. The NBA’s defensive player of the year attributed the loss to poor execution and a lack of hunger in the second half, admitting he could not fully account for how the team squandered such a significant lead.

The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was heightened by the presence of high-profile attendees, including Taylor Swift and Timothee Chalamet. This game follows a separate incident during Game 1 at the Frost Bank Center, where a fan storming the court to take a selfie with Wembanyama resulted in lifetime bans for those involved.

Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday night in San Antonio. The Spurs now face a critical juncture, requiring three consecutive victories to deny the Knicks the title, with no margin for error remaining in the series.