New Yorker and diehard Knicks fan Tyler Adams says he’s drawing inspiration from his hometown team – and his U.S. National Team could follow in their footsteps as a World Cup underdog.
“That’s what I love about being from New York is the character, the personality,” Adams said when asked by the Post about the Knicks. “So as a kid from New York – obviously not the city, but just in general – I feel like you always have your back up against the wall. That’s just about proving people wrong.”
United States Men’s National Team’s Christian Pulisic (10) reacts during an international friendly match against Germany in Chicago, Illinois, United States, on June 6, 2026. Anadolu via Getty Images
The Knicks were a longshot, with no NBA champion in the last 40 years holding longer title odds at the start of the playoffs.
Team USA will be World Cup longshots themselves when they kick off Friday against Paraguay at So-Fi Stadium. Asked if they can follow the Knicks’ blueprint, Adams said “I don’t know; hopefully. Hopefully we can do something special.”
What the Knicks did went beyond special, to unprecedented. They pulled off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, overturning a 29-point deficit to win Game 4 at the Garden on Wednesday night.
Members of the U.S. National Team watched the game on TV, and in a video of them celebrating after OG Anunoby’s miraculous tipin, Adams – who is from Wappinger and came up through the New York Red Bulls organization – can be seen clambering on top of a couch multiple times in barely-recalled euphoria.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) is greeted by New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) after he tips in the ball with seconds left for the game winning shot during the fourth quarter. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“I don’t even remember I blacked out, I’m not gonna lie,” said Adams.
“I’m not gonna lie; after the first first half I turned it off, because I was like ‘maybe it’s me that’s watching that. They’re just not playing well.’ I feel like every time I turn it off, they start to win. And I told everyone if they get it within ten points, anything can happen. And yeah, I wasn’t expecting that man. It was crazy.”
So would a deep U.S. run, having only won three games total in the last five World Cups combined. But Adams said if the underdog Knicks can mount a historic comeback with a miraculous game-winner – and stand one victory away from a title – then Team USA can take inspiration.
Even if some are Knicks haters.
“It’s pretty captivating. I think them being the underdog coming out of the East and doing something special as they’re doing right now, I take inspiration to it. But I’m a New York Knick fan. Not everyone’s a New York Knicks fan,” said Adams.
“Brenden Aaronson; the worst. He’s a Sixers fan, he can’t say anything. Haji Wright, big hater right now. But I love all that energy. It’s good.”
The Knicks are one game away from winning their first NBA championship in 53 years after their instant classic comeback win against the Spurs on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
While all of the World’s Most Famous Arena was rocking after OG Abunoby’s heroic tip-in during the final seconds, nobody was probably more relieved than star guard Jalen Brunson’s wife, Ali Marks Brunson.
Ali seems to believe she has a hand in her husband making his shots, which she conveyed during a conversation with Josh Hart’s wife, Shannon, as part of an Instagram video posted on Thursday.
The two Knicks teammates and Villanova alums notably have a podcast together, “Roommates Show.”
At one point in their discussion about their NBA Finals experience, Shannon said: “I feel like every time [Hart] misses, I’m looking at him. So I’m looking at him until the ball is released from his hands, and then I see if it goes in.”
Jalen Brunson taking a free throw for the Knicks. NBAE via Getty Images
Ali replied: “I try to match my breath up to [Brunson’s] breath… And then, when he shoots, I go—” before mimicking a shooting motion with her hand.
She then added, “Every time I do it, it goes in. And sometimes, I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m not gonna do it this time.’ And he misses!”
New York was down by a staggering 29 points at one point during the second half of Game 4, but managed to claw their way back to the point where they had a lead late in the fourth quarter.
Jalen and Ali Brunson. Getty Images
The game looked like it would come down to a missed 3-pointer from Brunson before Anunoby produced a miraculous tip-in off Brunson’s miss that led to a 107-106 win and a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
Whether or not Ali did the shooting motion on that play didn’t matter as Anunoby came to the rescue.
The Knicks will have a chance to close out the series on Saturday night in San Antonio.
The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star and “Seinfeld” co-creator sounded like every other Knicks fan as he talked to The Post’s Mike Vaccaro on Thursday, still trying to process what he saw in the second half as the Knicks mounted a historic comeback against the Spurs to go up 3-1 in the series.
“It was hard for me to believe that I — and I would italicize the ‘I’ if I knew how — that I could witness that,” David said. “I’m supposed to miss games and moments like that. That’s what I was thinking.”
OG Anunoby’s tip-in gave the Knicks a miracle win in NBA Finals Game 4. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The actor and writer was still in shock Thursday, telling The Post that “Jack Buck’s words were exactly what I was saying,” referring to the famous call on CBS radio of Dodgers outfielder Kirk Gibson’s iconic walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Larry David sat courtside for the Knicks’ improbable win. Getty ImagesLarry David during NBA Finals Game 3. NBAE via Getty Images
Anunoby and the Knicks had close to a walk-off moment on Wednesday night when he inbounded the ball to Jalen Brunson with mere seconds on the clock and then made his way down the lane to reach the ball after a missed 3-point attempt, tipping the ball in for the game-winning bucket.
The victory puts the Knicks on the verge of their first NBA title since 1973.
“I’ve never felt the energy in a crowd at Madison Square [Garden],” McEnroy said on “NBA Today” Thursday. “We used to play a big tennis event there [the season-ending Masters], and nothing’s ever come close to that.
SAN ANTONIO — Before Game 4, Mike Brown was asked about the offensive tweak he made in the first round of the playoffs and if he would consider something similar in the NBA Finals.
“You always keep trying to find ways to make adjustments,” the first-year Knicks coach said. “Sometimes they’re subtle. Sometimes they’re big. That’s what our job is as a staff, is to keep trying to help our players as much as possible.”
Mike Brown addresses the media after the Knicks’ historic 107-106 win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
In 17 playoff games, Jalen Brunson and Jose Alvarado didn’t share the court once. They did play together some during the regular season, and they had success. Across 114 minutes spanning 14 games, the Knicks outscored the opposition by 15.8 points per 100 possessions.
In Game 4 of the Finals, with the Knicks down big and in danger of blowing a 2-0 lead in the series, Brown paired the two small guards again.
It worked better than anyone could have anticipated, a major factor in their Finals-record comeback from 29 points down. In the 12 minutes they shared the court, the Knicks outscored the Spurs by a whopping 21 points.
“I think he did a great job of coming in and changing the game,” Brunson said.
Alvarado, the gritty 6-foot guard from Brooklyn, scored eight big points in the win, all coming in the second half, and added three assists and two rebounds.
Jose Alvarado celebrates during the Knicks’ historic Game 4 comeback win over the Spurs. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
He alleviated ballhandling responsibilities for Brunson against the Spurs pressure and gave the Knicks another player capable of breaking down San Antonio’s defense.
“Jose has been good in the pick-and-roll. Jose has been good touching the paint, and if Jalen wanted to get off the ball for a few possessions, Jose could handle it, and he could touch the paint and make the game easier for others,” Brown said. “If Jalen was on the ball and the ball got sprayed and it found Jose, Jose can then touch the paint with his speed. So that’s all I was trying to do, is see if we can touch the paint a little bit more with the two guards out there while the floor was spaced the right way.”
Mikal Bridges, Miles McBride and Landry Shamet were all struggling, so Brown took a shot.
That was evident in Game 1 when he came up big when Brunson left the game with a right knee injury, and it was clear in the dramatic fourth-quarter rally, Alvarado scoring five big points in a row for the Knicks to cut the deficit to four with 3:07 remaining.
“Him just being himself,” Brunson said, “propelled us to a win.”
The NBA two-minute report for Game 4 of the NBA Finals revealed that Josh Hart fouled the Spurs’ Stephon Castle on the baseline with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter, meaning it should have stayed Spurs basketball.
The play, which happened after San Antonio had already blown a 29-point lead and was trailing 105-104, saw Castle drive the baseline against Hart and eventually be called out of bounds.
Stephon Castle may or may not have stepped out here with his left foot in the Knicks’ historic 107-106 win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NB Finals at the Garden. The NBA now says the Knicks should have been called for a foul. ESPN
Not only did further replay show he may never have stepped out, but it also showed Hart being physical with the rookie guard all the way to the basket.
“Hart impedes Castle on his drive as Castle is incorrectly called for committing and out-of-bounds violation,” the report read.
On the court, the refs called it Knicks basketball, and the young Spurs coach Mitch Johnson never questioned the ruling.
The Spurs, who were in the bonus at the time, still had a challenge after a successful one just 65 seconds into the game allowed them another.
Johnson brought the challenge back to San Antonio with him in an eventual 107-106 loss.
Stephon Castle drives on Josh Hart in the fourth quarter during of the Knicks’ Game 4 win over the Spurs. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
According to the NBA, Victor Wembanyama should have been called for a defensive 3-second violation with 1:26 left in the game.
The two-minute report also determined that on the De’Aaron Fox layup attempt that gave the Knicks the ball back with under 10 seconds, that OG Anunoby “makes a legal attempt to block Fox’s shot and dislodges the ball from his control before making incidental arm contact.”
SAN ANTONIO — It was the moment before the now-famous moment.
It was delivered by the same right hand — OG Anunoby’s “right hand of God,” as Karl-Anthony Towns labeled it afterward.
Anunoby’s tip-in at the end of the Knicks’ epic 107-106 Game 4 win over the Spurs on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, which gave them a 3-1 Finals lead with the series returning here to Frost Bank Center, will go down as one of, if not the, biggest plays in Knicks history if they close this out and win the championship.
OG Anunoby blocks De’Aaron Fox’s layup attempt in the final seconds of the Knicks’ historic 107-106 win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
But right before, he made what might go down as the most important defensive play in franchise history.
Jalen Brunson, with the Knicks trailing by one, tried a one-handed bank shot over Victor Wembanyama, but missed badly high off the backboard.
The rebound was batted all the way into the frontcourt, and De’Aaron Fox, already with a running start, beat everyone down the court and corralled it with 13.5 seconds left in the game.
He had what seemed like a clear path to the rim, but the smarter decision would have been to pull it out, burn some clock and force the Knicks to foul him.
He went up for a layup, though, and there was the “right hand of God” proving that to be a bad decision.
Anunoby sprinted down the floor, caught up to Fox and blocked the shot, giving the Knicks possession to set up his game-winner.
OG Anunoby’s block of De’Aaron Fox was one of the biggest plays of the game. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Plenty of Spurs fans on social media posted videos of the play and claimed Anunoby fouled Fox, but the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report released Thursday found that it was a clean block.
“Haven’t scored,” Fox explained of his decision after the game. “Try to get a layup, get up three. Force them to need a three. OG made a good block.”
If Fox had waited to get fouled by the Knicks and subsequently made both free throws, the Knicks would have trailed by three — Brunson’s 3-pointer would have been all that mattered and Anunoby’s tip-in would have been irrelevant.
Even if Fox made just one of two free throws, it would have meant Anunoby’s tip-in tied the game and forced overtime as opposed to being the winner.
Fox thought he was giving his team a three-point lead. Anunoby pounced on his mistake and set up his own moment of glory.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby #8 addresses the media in a post game press conference. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I just thought I’d be able to outrun them,” Fox said. “That’s it.”
The “right hand of God” caught up. Call it a biblical block.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 8: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks plays defense during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 8, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a season of discussion about Western Conference supremacy, the Knicks sit on the brink of winning the NBA title after an improbable, inexplicable Game 4 comeback.
Over the course of the series, the Spurs have an argument as the better team and have looked the part for the majority of the time. But, repeatedly, they have collapsed in the second half and fourth quarter and a relentless Knicks team has taken advantage.
That’s in no way to diminish what New York has done. They’re a worthy winner who went on one of the greatest postseason runs in NBA history. Even if the Eastern Conference was weaker this season, the Knicks, after a rocky start, bludgeoned their opponents en route to the Finals.
It’s been a magical run for a team that was built in a very unique way. So much credit has been given to the likes of Oklahoma City and San Antonio, teams that have largely built through the draft and still have a treasure trove of draft picks. But the Knicks have bucked that trend.
Tanking vs. trading
At his exit interview, Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka was asked about the team’s win-now approach in comparison to building through the draft like the Spurs, Thunder and Pistons have done. His response centered around the ability for those teams to tank and the Lakers not having that luxury.
It’s a fair retort, especially when taking into account that during some of the lean years for those franchises, the Lakers were raising the Larry O’Brien trophy in Orlando. The only time they really tanked in the franchise’s history, they used those players to land Anthony Davis, who helped win that title in 2020.
Building through the draft may still be the best way to construct a contending roster, but it isn’t the only way, and the Knicks are a prime example.
Of the team’s top 10 players in points these playoffs, only Mitchell Robinson was drafted by the team. OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and Jose Alvarado were all acquired via trade. Jalen Brunson, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson were all free agent signings.
When it comes to building a team organically, the Knicks couldn’t be further from that.
Now, there is something to be said about the Villanova connection that so many of their top players have. It is a common thread through the team’s core that does matter.
But it’s serving as proof positive that drafting top talent isn’t the only way to build a contender in the modern NBA.
This isn’t to downplay the importance of drafting at all. The Lakers are still going to need to nail the draft picks they hold after this offseason. Fortunately, the last few years notwithstanding, they have a history of doing so. And in the new world of the new CBA with aprons, the importance only increases.
But the Knicks are an example of a team that successfully did all that. New York didn’t do it all at once, though. It took years of trades and calculated risks — and a superstar willing to take a discount — to put all this together.
The Lakers also might want to pick a random college with lots of pro players to build around. Considering the head coach went to Duke and Luke Kennard had success in LA the second half of the season, maybe that’s a starting point.
Jokes aside, though, the Lakers have a pathway to building a title contender. It might take some time and it’s going to require some good fortune and being opportunistic, but if LA can capitalize on those moments, then it could end in the team raising another banner.
Do the Boston Celtics have any interest in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, a deal that would send Jalen Brown to the Midwest coming off his All-NBA season? Things have seemed quiet on that front, league sources had told NBC Sports.
"I thought Boston was out of this. I know Boston was out of this. And I was wondering if they were playing possum or not. I think they were playing a little possum. I think they're in on Giannis... But as I said over and over again, Giannis is pushing for Miami and Boston — those are the two locations. And really wants to end up in Boston because he would have the best chance to win a title. And I think Boston is not ruling out the idea. That's my intel...
"They may not do anything. But I thought they were sitting out this Giannis thing, but I no longer think that. That's all I'm going to say."
It's all a bit cryptic, but the Celtics are not a leaky organization, so info tends to be scarce. If team president Brad Stevens really wants an offense that puts more pressure on the rim, bringing in Antetokounmpo — absolutely elite at getting downhill and not a feared 3-point shooter (to put it kindly) — is a way to force Joe Mazzulla's hand. That said, Boston would get older and bring in a player with a lengthy injury history for a player who just had his best season.
"Those same sources likewise insist that the Celtics have yet to engage in any meaningful trade conversation this spring involving Jaylen Brown after Brown's tremendous 2025-26 campaign … but it also hasn't been categorically dismissed as a possibility."
Wherever Antetokounmpo is traded, expect center Bobby Portis to be part of any deal, reports Tim Reynolds with the Associated Press.
Miami is and should remain the clear frontrunner. If one were in the Bucks front office and wanted to create leverage to drive up the asking price, one might let slip a rumor about another suitor. Not saying that is happening here, just saying there's some logic to it.
Whatever happens, the one thing everyone agrees upon is that a trade is likely before the NBA Draft on June 23.
LeBron to Warriors rumors will not die
The Antetokounmpo domino has to fall before LeBron makes his call on next season, but more and more, the most likely outcome appears to be a return to the Lakers on a short-term deal at considerably less than the $52 million he made last year. That said, the Warriors are lurking out there and there is some level of mutual interest, reports Monte Poole at NBC Sports Bay Area.
"I know it seems crazy. But there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn't even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there's enough there that we shouldn't ignore the possibility. It's mostly up to LeBron." If LeBron ends up leaving the Lakers, Golden State seems the most likely destination — he stays on the West Coast, close to his family. A core four of Stephen Curry, LeBron, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler (missing the start of the season recovering from a torn ACL) is interesting, would win games and be a potential playoff threat, but with every one of them at least 37 years old there would be a considerable injury risk.
Consider it something to watch. The Lakers' focus is on re-signing Austin Reaves and finding role players who better fit alongside Luka Doncic. If that focus takes them away from LeBron long enough, maybe he heads up the coast.
NBA Draft Rumors
There's a lot of speculation about which teams might decide to trade down, if not completely out, of the top 10, and which teams are looking to move up. This much seems set, the top four picks — Washington, Utah, Memphis and Chicago — seem locked in, as do the top four players in whatever order (AJ Dybantsa, Darren Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson).
"There is a sense in opposing front offices that Brooklyn could trade down from this spot, whether it's with a team trying to leap way up the board or even up just one spot in the Kings or two spots in the Hawks. Weeks ago, I reported the Kings are widely believed to be targeting [Darius] Acuff... Want your guy? Trade for him."
• Milwaukee, with the No. 10 pick currently, has worked out Acuff, met with Mikel Brown, and shown interest in Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings — all guards expected to be taken before the Bucks select at No. 10 (although Brown appears to have slipped on some boards and could fall to 10 or later), Jake Fischer reports at The Stein Line. It's worth mentioning here that multiple reports say the Bucks are acting like a team expected to have multiple lottery picks, implying they will get one in an Antetokounmpo trade (the Heat have the No. 13 pick, for example).
• Fischer reports that the Clippers, Nets, Kings and Hawks — picks 5-8 — are all comfortable staying where they are at and may not trade down as others suggested.
Other trade rumors
• The Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings had "preliminary" discussions about a potential trade for the veteran center, Fischer reports. The Kings are asking for a first-round pick in any trade, specifically eyeing the Hornets two first-rounders this year (No. 14 and 18). To make the math work, Miles Bridges might be a guy the Kings are interested in, but the Hornets likely want to get off longer-term salary than they would for a guy entering the final year of his deal (while the Kings likely prefer taking on the shorter-term money). One other team to keep an eye on with Sabonis: The Toronto Raptors.
• What do the New Orleans Pelicans want? One report from Fischer says that teams calling about Trey Murphy III (and Herb Jones) are being told the Pelicans want back players who can help them now, not draft picks for the future.
However, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports the Pelicans like a specific player in the top 10 and would be willing to make a bold trade to land in the top 10 and get that player. That makes more sense in this context: If the Pelicans want more of a win-now team, why trade Murphy at all?
• Also, don't expect a Zion Williamson trade this summer.
Following the Knicks' incredible comeback in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, two questions emerged from New York's 107-106 win over the Spurs.
First, what was Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox thinking going for a layup in the waning seconds with his team up one? (We will get to that later.) And second, was OG Anunoby's block a foul?
On that second point, you'd think it was a blatant foul if you follow Spurs Twitter, Reddit and message boards. A subsection of Spurs fans are convinced Anunoby fouled Fox on the layup attempt. It wasn't called such during the game and it wound up costing San Antonio a chance to survive their 29-point collapse.
Well, the NBA's last two minutes report on Game 4 came out Thursday evening and revealed that the call on the court was correct.
"Anunoby makes a legal attempt to block Fox's shot and dislodges the ball from his control before making incidental arm contact," the report read.
All De’Aaron Fox had to do was run the clock out 😭
With the Spurs up one with 20 seconds to go, Jalen Brunson's shot attempt went too high off the glass and a footrace for the ball ensued. Fox used his impressive speed to track down the ball with about 11 seconds to go. Instead of holding the ball and letting the Knicks foul him to go to the free throw line, Fox went up for the dagger and was denied.
“I just thought I’d be able to outrun him,” Fox told reporters, including The Athletic's Sam Amick, after the game. “That’s it.”
Anunoby's block kept the Knicks deficit at one point, and allowed the forward to tip-in a Brunson miss in the next possession to give New York the lead and, ultimately, the win.
Fox was asked why he made the choice he did and the 28-year-old explained himself, and ultimately gave credit to Anunoby.
“Try to get a layup, get up three and force them to need a three,” Fox said. “OG made a good block.”
The play will now go down in NBA Finals/Spurs infamy, especially if San Antonio is unable to bounce back. They'll try to stave off elimination in Game 5 on Saturday and try to even up the series back at MSG on Tuesday.
When all hope is lost, seeing your favorite team somehow beat all the odds and emerge victorious despite being backed into a corner for most of the game is a feeling that can likely only be matched by witnessing the birth of your first child. The second child probably doesn't hit as hard.
It was one of the greatest NBA Finals games in recent memory, perhaps only being matched by the iconic Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, where LeBron James famously chased down Andre Iguodala for a key block. But even that game didn't feature a comeback of such epic proportions.
That begs the question, where does this Knicks' win rank among the greatest comebacks of all-time? Here are our picks:
Ranking the 10 greatest comebacks in sports history
10. 1995 Indiana Pacers
Comebacks don't have to be long, drawn out affairs. Sometimes they can happen within minutes, or in this case, nine seconds.
Trailing by six points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with just 18.7 seconds to go, Pacers' legend Reggie Miller rattled off eight points in 8.9 seconds to secure a 107-105 win at Madison Square Garden.
This win would prove absolutely pivotal for the Pacers as well, as it took Indiana all seven games to do away with the Knicks.
9. 2006 Michigan State Spartans
Trailing 38-3 with less than 10 minutes to play in the third quarter, the Michigan State Spartans looked dead in the water facing the Northwestern Wildcats. They'd already lost each of their previous four games and were just waddling to the end of the game without much of a fight.
At least, that's what you might have expected. However, the Spartans did the opposite, scoring 38 unanswered points to cap off the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I football history.
The Spartans scored on five straight possessions to end the game (four touchdowns, one field goal), and added a punt return TD in the midst of the comeback as well. In total, the Spartans scored 24 points in the fourth quarter alone.
It was a tremendous win for Michigan State, and while you'd hope it would catapult the team into a feverish finish to their season, the Spartans actually would not win another game that year. They finished the season 4-8 overall and 1-7 in Big Ten play.
8. 2001 Duke Blue Devils
This contest had everything, stakes, rivals, and an absolutely unforeseen comeback.
In the fourth meeting of the year between heated ACC rivals Maryland and Duke, the two teams battled it out for a spot in the March Madness title game. These teams had been at each other's throats all year, with Duke winning two of their previous three matchups, but Maryland holding a +7 point differential.
This one was for all the most important marbles though. And Maryland looked primed for a spot in the title game. They led 39-17 early on, but Duke slowly clawed back.
By the end of the first half, they trailed by 11, and with seven minutes to go in the game, Duke took their first lead of the contest.
The Blue Devils closed the game out on a 23-12 run to dispatch the Terrapins. They'd end up defeating Arizona in the title game as well to secure Coach K's third national title.
7. 2026 New York Knicks
Maybe it's recency bias, maybe it's Maybelline. Regardless of the emotions running high in our minds currently, it's hard to argue just how massive this win was for the Knicks and the city of New York as a whole.
After the Spurs won Game 3, San Antonio looked like they would be heading back home with all the momentum, stealing both games at Madison Square Garden from the Knicks to even the series up at 2-2. However, OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson had different plans.
Trailing by 27 at halftime, and facing a deficit of 29 points, the Knicks won the third quarter by 12 points and the fourth quarter by 16 points to win 107-106 on an Anunoby tip-in with less than two seconds left.
That capped off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history as the Knicks gathered a commanding 3-1 series lead.
6. 1993 Buffalo Bills
Playing the Houston Oilers for the second game in a row after falling to them 27-3, the Bills looked like they were ready to be run off the field yet again, but this time, a loss would've ended their sason in the first round of the playoffs. Trailing 28-3 at halftime, the Bills came out of the locker room and promptly threw a pick-6, giving the Oilers a 32-point lead.
The Bills would immediately find a new gear though, rattling off 28 points by the end of the third quarter alone. That's the most in NFL history in the third quarter of a playoff game.
Sure, the scoring cooled off in the fourth quarter, but the Bills actually took the lead on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Frank Reich to Andre Reed. Ther Oilers would kick a field goal to send the game to overtime, but the momentum was clearly in Buffalo's favor, and they won the game in OT.
While this comeback has since been overtaken for the largest in NFL history, the fact this happened in the postseason is what keeps it on this list.
5. Paul Lawrie, 1999 British Open
Sometimes, an epic comeback requires a little bit of luck. That isn't to say Paul Lawrie's victory at the 1999 British Open wasn't earned. He came into the final round trailing by 10 strokes. His victory marked the largest final round comeback in major championship history.
Of course, what people remember most is the iconic collapse from Jean van de Velde. The Frenchman carded a triple bogey on the 18th hole, giving Lawrie a chance to win in a playoff alongside Justin Leonard. After four holes, Lawrie emerged victorious. He posted a final round score of 4-under 67, the best mark of the day from anyone who finished inside the top-10 of the tournament.
4. 2010 Philadelphia Flyers
This wasn't just one 3-0 comeback. This was two, wrapped into one. Not only did the Flyers need to claw back and win three consecutive games to force a Game 7, but in that winner-take-all contest, the Bruins got out to a 3-0 lead.
The Flyers won four straight games, scored four straight goals, and became the third team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
3. 2017 New England Patriots
Love them, hate them, the New England Patriots' dynasty was certainly formidable. You could never count Tom Brady and company out. Even when they trailed by 25 deep into the third quarter, you had to imagine that a few fumbles and questionable play calls from the opposition were coming because that's the kind of voodoo magic that the Patriots brought.
In this case, the Atlanta Falcons were the victims as the Patriots secured their fifth Super Bowl.
2. 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers
Perhaps we could still see another this year, but the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers currently remain the only team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. That alone would warrant placement on this list, but it ranks so high because of everything it stood for.
The Cavaliers were facing the 73-9 Golden State Warriors, the greatest regular season team of all-time. The Warriors boasted unanimous MVP Stephen Curry and were looking to become back-to-back champions.
They had everything, but they didn't have the King. LeBron James, accompanied with stellar sidekicks like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, as well as unforgettable defense from role player Matthew Dellavedova, was able to lead the Cavs to three straight wins, capturing the iconic "Blocked by James!" moment along the way.
1. 2004 Boston Red Sox
As stated earlier, a 3-0 comeback is obviously one of the toughest things to do in sports. In hockey, such a comeback has happened four times. In Major League Baseball, it's happened only once.
Everything about this series was special. Not only did the Red Sox accomplish the "never happened before or after" feat against their greatest rivals the New York Yankees, but in doing so, they also broke the Curse of the Bambino, an 86-year World Series drought, as the Red Sox went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
This series brought us the Curt Schilling bloody sock game, two walk-off wins from David Ortiz, and a Game 7 grand slam. It had everything and may never be topped as the greatest comeback in pro sports history. It was so good, it even prompted a Netflix documentary.
Sources reportedly told The Stein Line's Jake Fischer on Thursday that the Warriors have not factored into any recent trade talks for Antetokounmpo.
“Minnesota and Golden State were both prominent Antetokounmpo suitors in February when the Bucks briefly invited trade interest in their Face of the Franchise, but sources say neither team has factored into the Bucks' recent trade talks,” Fischer wrote.
If not the Warriors, where could Giannis Antetokounmpo land?
Antetokounmpo, 31, is a two-time MVP who appears to be on his way out of Milwaukee after 13 seasons with the Bucks. He has two years remaining on his contract (player option 2027-2028) and becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2028.
The 6-foot-11, 243-pound forward called "The Greek Freak" averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists on 62.4% field-goal shooting but appeared in only 36 games during the 2025-26 season.
Many teams have been linked to be in the running for the 10-time All-Star, but it's the Miami Heat that seem to be the best fit and pose the best trade offers, compared to other teams hoping to be suitors in the sweepstakes.
The Heat are prepared to offer Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and future picks, The Stein Line reported.
The Bucks are reportedly shopping around to see if anyone can beat that package.
Former Cavaliers big man Channing Frye isn’t shy to show confidence in his championship-winning team from the 2016 NBA Finals.
In an interview feature by Bleacher Report highlighting “How 2016 Cavaliers Made the Greatest Comeback in NBA History,” Frye said it didn’t matter who they played in Game 5, the Cavaliers were going to win the game.
“I am a firm believer that even if Draymond [Green] was there, we would have still put that belt on ’em,” Frye said. “Unless he would have grown two more arms, and 6 more inches, no.”
Ex-Cavaliers center Channing Frye said it didn’t matter whom the Warriors had on the court during the 2016 NBA Finals. USA TODAY Sports
It’s been 10 years since Cleveland ignited the infamous 3-1 Warriors blown lead in the NBA Finals.
In that game, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving each had 41 points and combined for nine 3-pointers.
The Warriors’ Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5 after picking up his fourth flagrant foul of the postseason. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Green was suspended for Game 5 after picking up his fourth flagrant foul of the postseason, forcing him to watch next door from the old Oracle Arena at the Oakland Coliseum because he was not permitted to be in the building.
With no Green on the court, the Cavaliers went on to win, 112-97. Cleveland then won Game 6, 115-101, and then Game 7, 93-89, making it one of the greatest series comebacks in NBA history and bringing LeBron James his first NBA title as a member of the Cavaliers.
Frye recalled one of the advantages Cleveland had was when Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli went down in the series, making it easier for them to attack the rim and play more physically.
Channing Frye has fond memories of the 2016 NBA Finals. X/@@BleacherReport
With Golden State having no big man on the court and no Green, who was the Defensive Player of the Year the season before, it gave James and Irving a major advantage on the court.
“I don’t know what happened with those boys; they went to the moon,” Frye said. “And I said, watching that firsthand, ‘Hell, no.’ “
Frye went on to compare the speed that James and Irving were playing as similar to a character in an anime.
“Total respect to Golden State, but it was like two sword fighters,” Frye said. “You just hear the noise, and then they’re over there, and you’re like ‘Damn, when did that happen?’ “
New York Knicks game analyst Monica McNutt is on an apology tour after she questioned why superstar singer Taylor Swift was at Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Speaking with TMZ Sports, McNutt addressed the viral hot-mic moment and the wave of Swiftie backlash that followed June 11, saying that she was "wrong" about Swift not being a Knicks fan.
"Swifties, I appreciate your passion. I said what I said," McNutt said. "And here's the deal, if I'm wrong. I am wrong, apparently, because she's got an OG Amar'e Stoudemire jersey."
"I misspoke. I did not know. But here's the deal, context, I literally just did a piece on celebrity row. I've been with this organization for five years. I know these folks. Ben Stiller. His wife, Christine (Taylor). Spike Lee. All of them. Fat Joe," she added.
McNutt offered additional clarity, telling the outlet that she had not seen the "New Romantics" singer at a Knicks game this year, or last year.
"And we just saw her in Cleveland with her fiancé (Travis Kelce). Obviously, Travis supports the Cavs. She didn't have any Knicks paraphernalia, so I did not know of her Knicks loyalty. But shoutout, T-Swift. We can be united in orange and blue, like, it's fine."
McNutt's backpedaling came less than 24 hours after she was caught dissing Swift to fellow Knicks colleague Tyler Murray shortly after spotting her: "She's not a Knicks fan. Get outta here, girl."
Taylor Swift's support of Knicks predates appearance
Unbeknownst to some, including McNutt up until recently, Swift has been a Knicks fan for a while. In a 2014 interview with TIME, Swift opened up about her love of the Knicks shortly after she moved to New York City.
Responding to a comment made by TIME correspondent Jack Dickey about how bad the Knicks were doing then, Swift made it clear that her love of the team didn't depend on how well they're playing.
"I love them, though," Swift said. "Why does that matter?"
Swift told TIME that her interactions with Stoudemire and his then-wife Alexis at the Met Gala helped cement her love of the Knicks, noting that the couple were the "most normal people at that event, every single time."
"I talk with them and hang with them every time I’m there. So I’ve always had this sort of love of the Knicks, just because Amar’e is so cool," Swift said.
"And also I performed at the Knicks’—at Madison Square Garden’s—Kids Talent Competition at halftime when I was 12 or 13. And ever since then I’ve had this kind of sparkly, magical opinion of Madison Square Garden and the Knicks, since they let me sing when I was a little kid," Swift added.
Swift, who donned a "Stevie Knicks" tee, was one of a dozen A-listers spotted rooting for the Knicks on June 10. She sat courtside with Haim sisters, Alana and Este, who were also wearing shirts with Knicks-related puns.
Fellow Knicks fan John McEnroe, seated next to David on Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden, told the ESPN crew on “NBA Today” on Thursday that the “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star was ready to head for the exit when all hope looked lost for the Knicks.
“We were sort of a little negative at 71-42,” the former tennis star and ESPN analyst said. “He was like, ‘Let’s get outta here.’ He was like, ‘Let’s get outta here.’ I go, ‘Larry, listen, over the years it hasn’t come up the way we expected [as Knicks fans].’ You know, I’ve blown a couple [of] big leads in my life….It was sort of like, ‘Here we go again, we’re gonna lose this. Something bad’s gonna happen.'”
arry David and John McEnroe attend Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City. Getty Images
But McEnroe said he tried to get David to be a bit more positive in the face of an uphill battle for the Knicks.
“I said, ‘Larry, let’s get positive here. If they get it down [from 29] to 25, 21, 18, it’s 15 at the end of the [third] quarter.’ This type of stuff. ‘Let’s keep it positive,'” McEnroe continued. “That’s the most positive I’ve ever been at a game, and I’ve been at a lot of sporting events over the course of my 56 years of coming to Knicks games when I was 8 years old.”
The shocking comeback 107-106 Knicks win has put the team one win away from their first NBA title since 1973, whipping Knicks fans everywhere into a frenzy.
Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates with OG Anunoby as the Knicks beat the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I’ve never felt the energy in a crowd at Madison Square [Garden]. We used to play a big tennis event there [the season-ending Masters] and nothing’s ever come close to that. No one left after an hour,” McEnroe said.
The interview was the second viral moment for David after video posted to social media showed the star nearly collapsing after Josh Hart missed a layup that would have given the Knicks a lead late in the fourth quarter.
According to NBC Sports Warriors insider Monte Poole, James joining Golden State should not be dismissed.
“I know it seems crazy,” Poole and NBC Sports Bay Area were told by a well-connected source. “But there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn’t even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there’s enough there that we shouldn’t ignore the possibility. It’s mostly up to LeBron.”
LeBron James landing with the Warriors is a possbility.
Poole noted that the general belief is James will remain in Los Angeles, playing alongside his son, Bronny James, but recent reports by Brett Siegel of Clutch Points suggest Curry plans to meet with LeBron during the offseason and recruit him to the Warriors.
The Warriors are planning to pursue LeBron James this offseason and Steph Curry is planning on meeting with LeBron to recruit him to Golden State, per @BrettSiegelNBA.
“League sources telling us at ClutchPoints that the Warriors are very much open to pursuing LeBron James and… pic.twitter.com/YR0OwcofdZ
Over the last half-decade, James has said multiple times that he enjoys playing alongside Curry. The King said playing with Curry during the 2024 Paris Olympics was everything he envisioned.
In Poole’s article, he noted Warriors owner Joe Lacob would welcome the pairing because he loves having stars on his team.
A year after Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson won their first title together in 2015, they met Kevin Durant and the Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference finals.
According to reports, Steph Curry will meet with LeBron about the prospect of teaming up together in the Bay Area.NBAE via Getty Images If LeBron James leaves the Lakers, teaming up with Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland is deemed a real possibility.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The series ended up going seven games, with the Warriors edging OKC for the conference title.
The Warriors met LeBron and the Cavaliers in the Finals. Golden State, which led 3-1, fell in seven games.
Determined to win another title, Lacob and the Warriors signed Durant during the offseason. He led them to back-to-back championships and was selected as back-to-back Finals MVP.
Poole suggested that LeBron, Curry, Jimmy Butler and Green, one of LeBron’s best friends, could join forces for another NBA title run.
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