A Championship Decided in Seconds
The New York Knicks faced a 53-year championship drought, and a pivotal moment in the NBA Finals may have sealed their fate in just 4.5 seconds. This brief span will be etched in the memories of both the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. The scene unfolded during Game 4 of the Finals, where the Knicks found themselves trailing by one point after being down by as much as 29. With 5.7 seconds remaining, they called a timeout just as Jose Alvarado nearly committed a backcourt violation that could have cost them possession.
How It Unfolded
5.7 seconds remaining... the play commences. Following the timeout, Knicks player Josh Hart was visibly upset, feeling responsible for a missed assignment that allowed Stephon Castle of the Spurs to score two free throws, putting San Antonio ahead 106-105. “I’m just hoping my teammates can make a play,” Hart expressed. OG Anunoby took on the role of inbounding the ball for New York. The Spurs opted not to obstruct his view, positioning all five players to guard the four Knicks players in motion. Jalen Brunson managed to evade several defenders, including the Spurs' Defensive Player of the Year, Victor Wembanyama, and received the inbounds pass near midcourt.
4.3 seconds remaining... Brunson takes the shot Brunson dribbled once and launched a shot from approximately 31 feet, attempting to shoot over Wembanyama's extended arm. The shot, airborne for about 1.2 seconds, fell short, hitting the rim and bouncing into the air. Anunoby, with a clear path, dashed from the out-of-bounds area into the lane. “I just crashed the boards,” Anunoby recounted. “I aimed for a tip-dunk, but the ball went over me, so I tried to softly tip it in.” With 2.5 seconds left, Anunoby leaped into action. The Spurs had several Knicks boxed out, including Karl-Anthony Towns, but Anunoby went unnoticed and positioned himself in front of Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell of the Spurs. “I was contesting the first shot,” Wembanyama noted. “Then I turned around and saw him up there. That’s all I saw.”
2.0 seconds remaining... Anunoby tips the ball Anunoby raised his right arm as he soared, just out of reach of Vassell. He managed to get his thumb and a couple of fingers on the ball, redirecting it back toward the rim.
“Right hand from God,” Towns described it. Anunoby fell to the floor as the ball sailed over the front of the rim. Brunson raised his fist in celebration. The crowd at The Garden held its breath.
1.2 seconds remaining... ‘Bedlam at The Garden!’ Announcer Mike Breen initially believed Brunson's three-pointer would succeed. Ultimately, he exclaimed, “Bedlam here at The Garden! They can't believe it!” as Anunoby's shot found the net. Hart, who had also missed a crucial layup, expressed his gratitude: “I owe OG a special shoutout. He saved me from a lifetime of regret, at least for this game.” Had Brunson's rebound taken a different trajectory, Anunoby might not have been in position. “It bounced off the rim just right,” Harper commented. “He tipped it in perfectly. I could dwell on what could have been, but he made the play, and it went in.” The Knicks' one-point lead matched their largest of the night, and that was all they needed. “That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball,” declared Knicks coach Mike Brown. “I’m not an expert, but it was simply unbelievable.”
