Anunoby's Game-Changing Performance
Magic Johnson Hails OG Anunoby as Knicks' True Hero in Record Finals Comeback Win
The New York Knicks pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history on June 10, 2026, erasing a 29-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 at Madison Square Garden. The win puts New York up 3-1 in the series — one victory away from their first championship in 53 years. Bradenton Herald reported that NBA legend Magic Johnson wasted no time naming OG Anunoby as the "real hero" of the night.
Anunoby finished with 33 points and sealed the game with a tip-in putback with just 1.2 seconds left. Meanwhile, Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox is facing fierce backlash for a late-game blunder that handed New York the opening it needed.
Anunoby's Block and Tip-In Swing the Game
With 15 seconds left, the Spurs led 106-105. De'Aaron Fox grabbed a loose ball. Instead of dribbling out the clock to force a foul, he went for a transition layup. Anunoby blocked it off the backboard. The Knicks secured the rebound and called timeout.
Jalen Brunson then attempted a long three-pointer that bounced off the front rim. Anunoby leaped over three Spurs defenders and tipped it in. Score: 107-106. The Spurs never got a shot off before the buzzer. Anunoby shot 7-of-9 from three-point range and scored 33 points total. "I just saw the ball hang on the rim and knew I had to get there," he said, according to the Associated Press. "It's about the team, not me."
Magic Johnson Calls Fox's Layup a Significant Mistake
Magic Johnson posted his reaction on social media after the game. He praised Brunson — who scored a game-high 36 points with 7 assists — but said Anunoby was the "true hero" for his block and tip-in sequence. Johnson also called Fox's decision to shoot a layup a "significant mistake," according to Star-Telegram.
Fox himself admitted the error. "I tried to get a layup to get up three... I thought I'd be able to outrun [Anunoby]," he said, per Island Packet. Analyst Charles Barkley was far less diplomatic. On TNT, he declared: "We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization!" Fox's blunder is already being compared to J.R. Smith's infamous clock mistake in the 2018 NBA Finals.
A 29-Point Hole That Shattered the Record Books
The Knicks trailed 81-52 in the third quarter. That is the peak of a deficit no team had ever overcome in the Finals. The previous record was 24 points, set by the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008, according to Bellingham Herald. New York outscored San Antonio 32-16 in the fourth quarter alone.
Brunson was the engine of the comeback. He hit a deep three-pointer with 2:30 left to cut the lead to 105-104, capping a 20-4 run. "We're a resilient group," Brunson said. "We never thought we were out of it." Coach Mike Brown called Anunoby's tip-in "the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball."
Knicks Close In on First Title Since 1973
New York has not won an NBA championship since 1973. This is the franchise's first Finals appearance since 1999. Under team president Leon Rose, the Knicks rebuilt through trades and free agency — adding Brunson, Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns — to reach this point, per Ledger-Enquirer.
The stakes now shift to San Antonio. The Spurs must win three straight games to avoid elimination — something only the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers have done in Finals history. Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday in San Antonio. Analysts estimate the Knicks will generate over $145 million in revenue from this postseason run alone if they close it out.
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