New York City — Game 4 of the NBA Finals was something special to watch. The Knicks were down by 29 points at halftime, then rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Spurs, 107-106. The series is now 3-1 with Game 5 back in San Antonio.
They were led by Jalen Brunson, whose efficient scoring (36 points on 48% shooting), playmaking (7 assists), and defensive contributions (3 steals, 5 rebounds) fueled the comeback. Brunson orchestrated the offense, especially during critical moments. OG Anunoby was just as vital, delivering 33 points on highly efficient shooting (66% overall, 77% from three) and grabbing the decisive game-winning putback. Both players’ performances were indispensable to the win.
Takeaways
Knicks: Had a rough first half, trailing 76-49. Despite this, they chipped away in the second half, improving on both ends. The fourth quarter was unforgettable: Brunson missed a three-pointer, but OG grabbed the rebound and scored the winning basket.
Brunson dominated, scoring when needed, especially in the fourth. He made smart passes, found mismatches, and hit open teammates. This is the game they needed from him to take a 3-1 lead.
OG has been steady, averaging 20.7 points on 57/50/86 shooting in the playoffs. He scored at least 10 points in each half this game and went 5-5 from three in the second half. Notably, he blocked Fox on a key fastbreak, which prevented the Spurs from going up by three.
Towns struggled with fouls, picking up two early and two more late. In the fourth, he returned, hit a step-back three, and played strong defense down the stretch.
Despite a rough first three quarters, the Knicks rallied in the fourth to win. Both offense and defense struggled early, but they locked in late, holding the Spurs to 16 fourth-quarter points as everyone stepped up.
Spurs: Collapsed in the second half. They set an NBA record with 14 threes in the first half, but then shot just 20% overall and 17% from three after halftime. It was a poor finish to a game they once controlled.
Wemby started strong but faded after halftime. He scored just 8 points, shooting 21% overall and 33% from three in the second half, failing to deliver when the Spurs needed him.
Fox and Vassell combined for 28 first-half points, with Vassell perfect from the field. In the second half, they managed just 8 combined. Fox made several mistakes in the final minutes, looking more like a rookie than a team leader.
Harper remained solid, totaling 21 points on 66% shooting and 50% from three, but like his teammates, his impact dropped in the second half.
Castel struggled again, battling foul trouble and finishing with 13 points, 8 of which came from the free throw line in the fourth.
The Spurs dominated the first half, forcing turnovers and shooting well from everywhere. The second half was a collapse, as they went cold, made mistakes, and failed to get stops.
Look ahead
Knicks: After Game 4’s comeback, it’s hard to say how the Knicks will top that. However, they can’t afford to repeat their poor defense and offense from the first three quarters in Game 5.
The Knicks can’t come out of the gate playing sloppily all over the place with the ball. They turned the ball over 15 times in the game. Better ball handling would be needed; they’ve been one of the best teams in the playoffs at keeping their turnover rate below 14 per game. Also, defending has to be strong over the course of the game; they had a defensive rating of 114.1, which was much worse in the first half at 161.
Getting KAT and Mikal more involved offensively is crucial. Mikal has struggled throughout the playoffs; the team must give him more opportunities. KAT has been quiet offensively, with only a few big moments—he needs to attack mismatches and avoid early foul trouble.
Spurs: Coming off a historic loss will frustrate the players and erode confidence that they can win the series. This team is young, and they should look at it like they lost their flame in that fourth quarter, with looks they could have easily knocked down. They should let that hold them down in what is now a crucial Game 5; they will now have to have the memory of a goldfish.
Wemby, in my opinion, can’t be called “the best player in the world” just yet. If he wants that crown from Shai or Jokic, he can’t have another second-half shooting disaster. He will need to hit clutch shots and find a way to be comfortable with uncomfortable looks.
As a team, they will need to stop players like Castle, Fox, Vassell, and Champagnie from falling off on shooting and defense in the second half. These are players who are crucial to the Spurs. As you saw in the first half, when they’re on their A-game, they can’t be stopped, but these players have shown to fall off offensively late into games.
Prediction
No team other than the 2016 Cavs has come back from 3-1 down in the NBA Finals, with a record of 37-1. Could the Spurs become the second, along with the Cavs, to come back from 3-1 down?
Well, I think no, they can’t, but I do think the Spurs will bounce back in Game 5 with a victory back on home court. The final score of Game 5 was 113-110.
Game 5 of the NBA Finals is back in San Antonio, TX at Frost Bank Center on June 13th at 7:30 PM CT. You can watch the game on ABC/ESPN.
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