The New York Knicks mounted a record-setting rally Wednesday, erasing a 29-point deficit to win Game 4 of the NBA Finals and knot the series. The victory immediately alters momentum and hands the Spurs a psychological blow as the teams head back to San Antonio.
San Antonio looked dominant through much of Game 4, building what felt like an unassailable lead and threatening to even the series on the road. Instead, New York’s turnaround — the largest comeback in NBA Finals history — flipped the narrative in an instant.
The Knicks’ resilience has been a theme all postseason. Across the past two playoff runs, New York has clawed back from deficits of 20 points or more on five occasions, a pattern that speaks to the team’s depth and belief under pressure.
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Where this changes the series
That tenacity was on full display earlier in the playoffs as well. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks rallied from 22 points down against Cleveland in Game 1, a reversal that left the Cavaliers visibly deflated and altered how the remainder of that series played out.
For San Antonio, the loss presents a tricky recovery. Teams holding a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals have closed the series 37 times out of 38; the lone comeback came when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame Golden State in 2016. That historical edge now looms larger for the Spurs as they seek to regain control on their home floor.
- Momentum: New York’s win shifts pressure onto San Antonio ahead of Game 5.
- Psychology: Repeated comebacks suggest the Knicks can grind out tight late-game scenarios.
- Historical hurdle: A 3-1 advantage in the Finals has overwhelmingly predicted the champion.
- Next chance: The series returns to San Antonio, where the Knicks will have up to three attempts to claim their first title since 1973.
Game 5 in San Antonio will test whether the Spurs can regroup quickly or whether the Knicks’ comeback will prove the turning point. Coaches on both sides now must adjust rotations and in-game strategies with momentum — and public scrutiny — swinging to New York.
Beyond tactics, the series has taken on a larger narrative: a team that refuses to quit against a squad trying to defend a suddenly fragile advantage. How each roster responds over the next two weeks will determine whether this Finals is remembered for a single historic comeback or for a dramatic shift in championship fate.
