The New York Knicks achieved a historic comeback from being 29 points down, edging out the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 to move within reach of their first championship since 1973. The game, held at Madison Square Garden, ended with OG Anunoby tipping in a missed three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson with just 1.2 seconds left on the clock, sealing the victory. This win places the Knicks in the NBA Finals with a 3-1 series lead and three opportunities to claim the title.
Initially, the situation seemed dire as the Spurs dominated with a 27-point lead at halftime. However, Jalen Brunson spearheaded a remarkable comeback with 36 points, while Anunoby contributed 33 points. The next game is set for Saturday night in San Antonio.
Prior to this, no team had overturned a deficit greater than 24 points in an NBA Finals game since 2008, when Boston managed a similar feat against the Lakers. During the game, the Spurs had stretched their advantage to 81-52 in the third quarter. The only larger comeback recorded in an NBA playoff game was made by the Los Angeles Clippers with a 31-point rally against Golden State in 2019.
The Knicks’ impressive 13-game winning run was interrupted in Game 3, and they appeared to be headed towards a second consecutive defeat. The Spurs, featuring stand-out performances from Victor Wembanyama, who scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, had established the largest halftime lead by a visiting team in the Finals. Initially shooting 11 of their first 16 three-pointers, the Spurs became ineffective in the latter half, managing just 3 of 17, as the Knicks outscored them 58-30.
“We got on our heels — we missed some shots,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson observed. “It’s disappointing, to say the least.”
The mood in Madison Square Garden shifted dramatically as fans cheered with renewed hope, singing along to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” after witnessing an almost unbelievable comeback.
Wembanyama struggled with 9-for-25 shooting, as road teams initially dominated the Finals series. Persistent security measures around Madison Square Garden, due to President Donald Trump’s previous attendance at Game 3, led to the cancellation of an outdoor watch party by the Knicks. Despite a first half of limited excitement for the home crowd, the Knicks fought on. They restricted the Spurs to 14 points on 4-for-20 shooting in the third quarter, embarking on a critical 13-0 run to narrow the gap to 90-75 as they entered the fourth quarter.
Knick’s resilience has been evident before, having overcome a 22-point deficit against Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals. Although Stephon Castle briefly put San Antonio back ahead with successful free throws, the Knicks’ rallied again with a decisive move in the final seconds.
Dylan Harper contributed 21 points for the Spurs, while De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell added 18 points each. The Spurs aim to recover and extend the series back to New York for a potential Game 6 scheduled on Tuesday.
Fans expressed their displeasure towards Wembanyama before the game, and he endured a few rough fouls during play. Despite the physical nature of the game, particularly with Mitchell Robinson’s flagrant foul and Jose Alvarado’s review for another, Wembanyama maintained his composure. Yet, he will likely regret missing two crucial free throws with 1:47 remaining and San Antonio holding a one-point lead.
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