Following a disappointing Monday night in New York, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs looked primed to even the series on Wednesday, going up 29 late in the first half. But late-game heroics from OG Anunoby secured the largest NBA Finals comeback ever.
“We always have a chance if we go out there and take it to another level,” Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you make your luck. We made our luck today.”
Towns remarked teammate Anunoby’s tip-in was a “right hand from God.”
A win for the ages
For New Yorkers, it very well may be interpreted as divine intervention. The city’s arena, dubbed basketball’s mecca, has done very little to live up to the name, at least when it comes to performance on the court.
The last time the Knicks reached a Finals was 1999, and the last time they took the trophy was 1973.
In the final seconds on Wednesday, Knicks star Jalen Brunson missed a 3-point shot that was followed by a tip-in by Anunoby, a play that will be immortalized in Knicks lore.
“That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball,” New York coach Mike Brown said.
If Brown’s team wins one more game, he might be right. Losing this game would have shifted momentum to San Antonio as the series heads back to the Lone Star State for Game 5.
Instead, Brunson and company are positioned to win the series.
Wembanyama hit walking into team hotel
The drama did not end on the court. Wembanyama has not endeared himself to New York during the series. When asked at the end of Game 3 if he takes being New York’s newest villain as a compliment, Wembanyama brought back sour memories for New York.
“I guess, I’m nowhere near Trae Young level, though.”
Young famously eliminated the Knicks in 2021 with a bow in the final game. Throughout the series, he antagonized Knicks fans, and in return, Knicks fans made colorful chants toward him. The series sparked a feud that still returns from time to time.
During the third game, Wembanyama shoved Brunson in the back of the head, an act many felt deserved a flagrant foul. However, it went unnoticed by the referees. The NBA reviewed the play afterward and ruled it did not deserve a flagrant, a major ruling since he is close to suspension.
In Wednesday’s game, Wembanyama received his third flagrant foul when his elbow caught Towns’ chin.
If the 7-foot-4 giant receives another flagrant foul, he will receive a one-game suspension, which would be a major blow to the Spurs.
When returning to the team hotel, Knicks fans gathered around the opposing team’s entrance and threw what appeared to be eggs at Wembanyama.
It is unclear whether an egg actually struck Wembanyama or not.
No arrests have been made in the egg throwing, according to ESPN reporter Shams Charania.
56 arrests following Knicks comeback
Anticipation has built up for a New York championship after years of not making it to the top of the NBA, and it shows.
Watch parties hosted right outside Madison Square Garden were shut down during the Eastern Conference Finals, with police citing disruptive behavior.
No watch party was held for Game 3 outside of Madison Square Garden due to an appearance from President Donald Trump. But following the loss, the NYPD took 21 individuals into custody from a watch party at Bryant Park following “dangerous behavior,” according to a police statement.
Leading up to Wednesday’s game, a watch party was announced and canceled shortly after.
Following the emphatic win, fans became even more disruptive than the previous game, as police took 56 people into custody with 15 arrested, as thousands of fans flocked to the streets.
Some of the charges include assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a knife, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct, according to USA Today. The night ended in 10 officers being injured, including one hit in the head with a glass bottle.
A star-studded night
Known for superfan celebrities like Ben Stiller, Spike Lee and Adam Sandler, Wednesday night saw a much larger celebrity row with Taylor Swift, Jerry Seinfeld, Hailey Bieber, Timothée Chalamet and more making an appearance at the must-watch event. The night featured more than 35 high-profile celebrities.
Stiller provided a POV following the New York victory of the crowd in black and white for cinematic effect.
The Knicks are one win away from standing atop the league. Game 5 is Saturday at 6:30 p.m. MDT.
