This series hasn’t just lived up to the hype, it has completely blown the roof off any basketball fan's expectations. We are talking about a historic 29-point comeback, absolute tactical warfare, and four consecutive games that were decided by cold-blooded execution in the dying seconds. If you missed the first four games, you missed an all-time classic sports drama.
Let's catch you up on the madness that has shaped this series so far, and look ahead to what promises to be an explosive finish.
- Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95 (NY Leads 1-0)
Don't let the double-digit final score trick you; this was a one-point game in the final minute. The Spurs had just ripped off a blistering 7-0 run to grab a late lead. Then OG Anunoby kept a decaying possession alive with a relentless offensive rebound, shipping it to Mikal Bridges, who swung it to Jalen Brunson for a ruthless corner three to put New York up 2. With 40 seconds left, Victor Wembanyama incredibly dribbled the ball off his own foot. Josh Hart scooped the turnover, fed Brunson, and the star guard executed a nasty spin-layup to stretch the lead to 6 and seal Game 1.
- Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104 (NY Leads 2-0)
Behind a fourth-quarter Wembanyama takeover and a flurry of wild rookie drives from Dylan Harper, San Antonio completely erased a 9-point deficit. With the game hanging in the balance and the Spurs looking to take control, Wembanyama threw a hurried pass off of the back of his teammate which luckly bounced to Brunson. Brunson drew a foul and calmly sank the go-ahead free throws. Knicks clogged the paint on the Spurs’ final possession to escape with a one-point victory.
- Game 3: Spurs 115, Knicks 111 (NY Leads 2-1)
The Knicks were surging late. Brunson drilled a heroic three-pointer with 34 seconds left, cutting San Antonio’s lead to just 3 and causing a literal earthquake inside the Garden. Needing a bucket to survive the momentum wave, De'Aaron Fox isolated against OG Anunoby on the perimeter. Fox drove hard left, pulled up right at the free-throw line, and buried a heavily contested jumper over Anunoby’s outstretched arms to ice the game, snapping the Knicks' legendary 13-game playoff win streak.
- Game 4: Knicks 107, Spurs 106 (NY Leads 3-1)
With the Knicks were down by 29 points in the third quarter and trailed 95-74 with under 10 minutes left. New York unleashed an unbelievable 28-9 explosion. Brunson gave the Knicks a brief 105-104 lead before Stephon Castle answered with two clutch free throws to put the Spurs up 106-105. With less than 15 seconds left and the Spurs possessing the ball, De'Aaron Fox recovered a loose ball near midcourt. Instead of pulling it out to run the clock, Fox attacked the rim. OG Anunoby pinned his layup against the glass with a breathtaking chase-down block. Brunson missed the ensuing go-ahead jumper, but Anunoby flew in from the perimeter and tipped the ball in with 1.2 seconds remaining to give New York a 3-1 series stranglehold.
The series now pivots back to Texas. The schedule for the remainder of the series is set:
- Game 5: Saturday, June 13, Frost Bank Center (San Antonio), 8:30 PM / ABC
- Game 6: Monday, June 15, Madison Square Garden (New York) 8:30 PM / ABC
- Game 7: Thursday, June 18, Frost Bank Center (San Antonio), 8:30 PM / ABC
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For Game 5, the San Antonio Spurs open as 5.5-point home favorites to keep their season alive. However, the emotional weight of giving up a 29-point lead in Game 4 is a massive psychological hurdle for a young squad to clear.
With a 3-1 series lead, Vegas has heavily adjusted the championship lines.
Current Series Odds: New York Knicks -490 | San Antonio Spurs +380
Historically, teams holding a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals are 35-1 all-time. (Never mind that one loss. We will not talke about that one) That gives the Knicks a staggering 97.2% statistical chance of raising the Larry O'Brien trophy and ending their 53-year title drought.
While a 3-1 deficit is a mountain to climb. If you rerun the tape on the final two minutes of all four games, the Spurs easily could be up 3-1, if not sweeping this series. They held late leads in Games 1 and 2, won Game 3, and completely dominated 75% of Game 4 before a historic collapse. They have the highest-ceiling player on the planet in Victor Wembanyama, who can warp any defensive scheme.
If San Antonio can hold serve at home in Game 5 as the odds suggest, the pressure shifting back to New York for a Game 6 will be suffocating. Do not turn off your TVs. This series still has plenty of drama left to write.