For more than half a century, New York has waited for this moment. Through blackouts and bankruptcies, dynasties and rebuilds, celebrities courtside and coaches on the hot seat, the Knicks have spent 53 years searching for a championship. Tonight, they stand one victory from ending the wait.
Historic Comeback in Game 4
Standing in their path is a San Antonio Spurs team still trying to process what happened 72 hours ago. Game 4 appeared over long before it finished. The Spurs led by 29 points midway through the third quarter and seemed to have wrestled control of the NBA finals back from New York. Then everything unraveled.
The Knicks stormed back with the largest comeback in finals history, erasing the deficit before OG Anunoby’s putback with 1.2 seconds remaining delivered a stunning 107-106 victory and a commanding 3-1 series lead. The result left the basketball world asking two questions: How did San Antonio let it happen? And can the Spurs possibly recover?
History Favors the Knicks
History is not on the Spurs' side. Only one team has ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win an NBA finals series. Yet this matchup has been far closer than the standings suggest. Through four games, the Knicks have outscored San Antonio by only eight points. Three contests have been decided in the final seconds. The margins separating triumph and disaster have been razor thin.
That is only part of what makes tonight’s potential closeout game so compelling. The Knicks have arrived in Texas with a chance to end one of the longest championship droughts in American professional sports and begin preparations for a parade through Manhattan. The Spurs return home convinced they have been good enough to win every game in this series and determined to force a trip back to New York.
One side is chasing history. The other is trying to prevent becoming a footnote in it. Game 5 tips off at 7.30pm local time or 8.30 in New York, roughly an hour from now.
