The New York Knicks are one win away from their first NBA Championship since 1973, after they achieved an incredible comeback coming from 29 down. San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama were leading 41-22 in the first quarter and then 76-49 in halftime, yet still weren't able to hold on to the result and the Knicks climbed to win the match 107-106 (first home victory after four matches) and be 3-1 in the Finals.
This makes it the largest comeback in the history of the NBA Finals, five points more that the Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers match in 2008, in which Celtics overcame 24 points.
The Spurs blew their lead in the third quarter, in which they only scored 14 points. The Knicks took the first lead of the match, 105-104, with 1:22 minutes remaining. Many pundits are now pointing to one specific moment, when De'Aaron Fox tried to shoot instead of holding the ball for the last few seconds, missing and giving Knicks a possession that was finally converted in two winning points by OG Anunoby.
<social>https://x.com/espn/status/2064916624906334631</social>
Charles Barkley, former player for Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Houston and TV pundit, described it as the "dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization" on ESPN. "That was one of the most mismanaged, stupid basketball. They had a 25-point lead, took eight straight 3s. The San Antonio Spurs helped the New York Knicks win this game by doing some of the most stupid stuff I've ever seen on a basketball court."
<social>https://x.com/ESPNNBA/status/2064923885384941615</social>
Similar terms to those used by Chris Walker on CBS. "I don't like to use that word, but it was the dumbest coaching I've ever seen from a coach. There are no excuses for this," referring to 40-year-old head coach Mitchell Chase Johnson in his first season.
<social>https://x.com/CBSSports/status/2064924017266511969</social>
In history, there have only been one time in which a team losing 3-1 in the Finals ended up winning the championship by winning thee matches in a row: the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, against the Golden State Warriors. Can San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama compensate today's ridicule with three flawless games?