At Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026, the New York Knicks completed the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, erasing a 29-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4. Jalen Brunson paced New York with 36 points and seven assists, while OG Anunoby scored 33 and finished the night with a 1.2-second tip-in that won the game. The victory gives the Knicks a 3-1 lead in the 2026 NBA Finals and shifts the series momentum back to New York. The crowd, and national viewers, reacted to a sequence that will be replayed for years.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Knicks 107, Spurs 106; New York leads series 3-1 after Game 4 on June 10, 2026.
- Largest Finals comeback: New York recovered from a 29-point deficit, surpassing the previous record of 24 points.
- Top performers: Jalen Brunson finished with 36 points and seven assists; OG Anunoby had 33 points and seven 3-pointers.
- San Antonio contributors: Victor Wembanyama posted 24 points and 13 rebounds; Dylan Harper scored 21 for the Spurs.
- Shooting and bench notes: Spurs shot 41.9% for the game while the Knicks converted 46.2%; San Antonio held a 26-4 edge in bench points early in the night.
- Clutch sequence: Stephon Castle’s two free throws gave the Spurs a 106-105 lead with 30 seconds left; Brunson briefly put New York ahead before Anunoby’s tip finished the comeback.
Background
The 2026 NBA Finals arrived with contrasting narratives: San Antonio’s young core, led by Victor Wembanyama, had produced dominant stretches across the series, while the Knicks leaned on veteran scorers and a defense-first identity. Game 4 began as a continuation of San Antonio’s control—an explosive first quarter and efficient shooting built a 29-point margin through the first half and third quarter. Historically, the largest Finals rally prior to this game was 24 points, making New York’s recovery an outlier even by playoff standards.
New York’s roster has shown an ability to rally under pressure this postseason; the team previously erased a 22-point deficit late in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks’ reliance on Jalen Brunson for late scoring and OG Anunoby for timely two-way plays has been a theme all series. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s rotation—featuring De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Dylan Harper and Wembanyama—has blended youthful athleticism with shooting, unsettling opponents and producing that across-the-board bench production early in Game 4.
Main Event
San Antonio opened the game on a tear, pouring in 41 points in the first quarter and extending the margin to as much as 29. The Spurs combined high-volume 3-point shooting with rim pressure from Wembanyama to force New York out of rhythm, and Karl-Anthony Towns’ early foul trouble further hampered the Knicks’ interior presence. At halftime the Spurs led 76-49, a deficit that looked insurmountable given the Finals stage.
The fourth quarter flipped the script. New York mounted several runs—highlighted by a 20-4 spurt—and Brunson and Anunoby alternated momentum-shifting plays. Anunoby hit multiple corner threes and delivered crucial defensive plays, while Brunson’s penetration and floaters kept the Knicks within striking distance. With 4:32 remaining New York had trimmed the gap to four, and the Garden atmosphere intensified into a relentless force for the home team.
In the final minute, Stephon Castle’s two made free throws put the Spurs ahead 106-105 with 30 seconds to play. San Antonio had possession late; a De’Aaron Fox attempt in transition was blocked by Anunoby, giving the Knicks a final chance. Brunson attacked and missed a putback, but Anunoby followed the play and tipped the rebound in with 1.2 seconds left, producing the game-winning basket and triggering a Madison Square Garden eruption.
Analysis & Implications
Beyond the dramatic finish, the result alters the series landscape materially: New York now controls a 3-1 lead, putting San Antonio on the brink of elimination and forcing the Spurs to respond in Game 5. The psychological swing of a record comeback on a national stage can magnify home-court advantage and shift pressure to the trailing team. For New York, the win validates late-game adjustments—both schematic and personnel—that allowed them to climb back from the long deficit.
San Antonio’s hot first-half shooting (including a half in which they set an NBA Finals mark for 3-pointers) shows the Spurs can overwhelm opponents when shots fall, but Wednesday exposed depth and late-game matchup vulnerabilities. The Spurs’ bench advantage earlier in the night underlined their regular-season strength; however, the Knicks’ starters, particularly Brunson and Anunoby, assumed late responsibility and limited the bench gap in clutch minutes.
Individually, Jalen Brunson’s scoring outburst reinforces his role as New York’s primary closer, while Anunoby’s two-way impact—shooting, defending and finishing the final play—boosts his standing as a primary secondary option. For Wembanyama and Dylan Harper, strong box-score contributions in a loss suggest growth, but San Antonio must shore up late possession defense and turnover discipline to survive the remainder of the series.
Comparison & Data
| Moment | Spurs | Knicks |
|---|---|---|
| Halftime | 76 | 49 |
| Largest lead | 29 points | — |
| Final score | 106 | 107 |
| Bench points (early) | 26 | 4 |
Stat lines across the night tell how the game swung: the Spurs shot 41.9% overall while the Knicks converted 46.2%, and the halftime margin of 27 points (76-49) underscored the scale of New York’s fourth-quarter recovery. San Antonio’s 14 three-pointers in the first half established an offensive identity that nearly carried them to a win, but the Knicks’ late efficiency and defensive plays determined the ending.
Reactions & Quotes
“We’re resilient. We never give up,”
OG Anunoby, Knicks
Anunoby emphasized team resolve in the postgame moments as fans chanted his name. His remark framed the comeback as collective effort rather than a single heroic act.
“I’ve been part of the NBA for 40 years — longer, probably. I’ve never experienced what I experienced tonight,”
Charles Barkley, commentator
Barkley’s reaction captured the rarity of the comeback from a long-tenured former player and broadcaster, underlining the historical weight of the result.
“Bedlam here at the Garden! They can’t believe it!”
Mike Breen, play-by-play
Breen’s call echoed television viewers’ astonishment and the building’s intensity during the final sequence.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Victor Wembanyama will receive additional disciplinary review beyond the public flagrant count reported remains unconfirmed pending league notice.
- Speculation about immediate rotation changes or lineup reinforcements for the Spurs in Game 5 is unverified; San Antonio’s coaching adjustments have not been formally announced.
- Reports of long-term injury implications for any player beyond known in-game fouls (e.g., Karl-Anthony Towns’ earlier foul trouble) have not been independently confirmed by team medical staffs.
Bottom Line
The Knicks’ 107-106 win in Game 4 is both a statistical anomaly and a pivotal turning point: New York now leads the 2026 NBA Finals 3-1, placing San Antonio in an immediate do-or-die position for Game 5. The comeback rewrites series momentum and elevates questions about the Spurs’ late-game defensive cohesion and rotation strategy under elimination pressure.
For New York, the victory validates reliance on Brunson in clutch moments and Anunoby’s evolving role as a two-way swing player capable of ending games. With the series heading back to San Antonio for Game 5, the Spurs must respond quickly—either by tightening late possession defense, adjusting rotation minutes, or reigniting the shooting that produced their early-game dominance in Game 4.