Connie Hawkins was an immense talent who missed some of his best years professionally after being falsely implicated in the notorious 1961 point shaving scandal. He signed with Iowa, but was kicked out of school in his freshman year. The NBA warned teams not to draft him, so he played for a year with the old ABL before it folded, then with the Harlem Globetrotters, and then the ABA, before the NBA, under public and legal pressure, finally allowed him to play in 1969.

Few fans got to see him in those pre-NBA years, but he played a lot of ball and had a lot of stories.

This story involves Rucker Park, the Mecca of New York / Harlem basketball, Wilt Chamberlain, and a freakishly athletic street player named Jackie Jackson.

Just 6-4, Jackson blocked a Chamberlain shot, which kind of set Wilt off. Keep in mind that Chamberlain reportedly had a 50” vertical. It’s a great story.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

The Knicks are 3-1 in the NBA Finals.

You saw it all.

I just have no words.

Mike Brown

On believing in the comeback all day long:

“I knew there was a lot of time left. I knew we’ve got to get a little lucky, but let’s do what we have to do to make some of that luck happen.”

On Jalen Brunson’s performance:

“Jalen, he’s an MVP candidate. I say the same thing about Jalen every game: He does what an MVP is supposed to, and he did it again tonight.”

On OG Anunoby’s Game 4 tip-in:

“How he had to control it and tip it in, that has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball. It’s unbelievable. Just how he had to control it and tip it in.”

On challenging Anunoby before Game 4:

“I challenged a lot of our guys today, and OG was one of the guys I challenged. I told OG, as big, as strong, as athletic as he is, he’s got to be a monster on the offensive glass tonight. I don’t know if there was a play bigger than any other play in the history in Knicks basketball. That was a huge offensive rebound. Huge offensive rebound. He took on the challenge, and he went and won the game for us doing exactly what I called him out for during shootaround today.”

On not changing much schematically before the second half rally:

“Really, we didn’t change much. We basically kept the same game plan. But defensively, we just did it [better] for longer stretches, and we were really in tune to what we were supposed to be doing. Our level of physicality increased without sending them to the free-throw line as well, which is huge.”

On Jose Alvarado’s Game 4 impact:

“Jose was unbelievable tonight. He changed the game. His speed, his ability to touch the paint… if you don’t close out to Jose, as hard as he works on his shot, he’s gonna make you pay. If you close out to him, he’s quick enough to go by you and he made some great basketball plays offensively tonight. And then he was great defensively.”

On the league not upgrading Victor Wembanyama’s foul to a flagrant before Game 4:

“The league is gonna do what they’re gonna do. You gotta live with it. They ain’t gonna listen to me, they ain’t gonna listen to nobody else. You just hope at the end of the day, everything is consistent on both ends throughout the whole game, that’s it. It is what it is. Stuff like that can cause a fight. Obviously, they didn’t see it. If it happens in the future, fingers crossed the officials see it and call it, but again, it’s out of my control. The officials are human; they’re gonna miss stuff. You hope that they miss stuff for both teams, but they’re gonna miss stuff.”

On the Knicks’ chemistry, continuity and keeping a group together:

“The longer you can keep a group together, I think that’s better. And it’s kind of always been that to a certain degree. You know, way, way back, the Lakers, they had Karl Malone, I think Gary Payton and a couple other superstars that they threw together one year, and it was hard. Not to say that it can’t be done. I’m sure it’s been done. But the longer the group can stay together, I feel the better chance they have.”

Jose Alvarado

On the Game 4 comeback:

“That’s called Knicks basketball. Stay together, be together. And look at this f—— energy man. This is who we do it for.”

On the Knicks’ mindset at halftime in Game 4:

“Regardless of the outcome, these next 24 minutes, we better bring it and show them how we really play basketball.”

On proving the first half was an anomaly:

“We needed to show them that first half was a fluke.”

On playing in the fourth quarter of an NBA Finals game:

“Playing in the fourth quarter, that’s something, when you play this game, that’s when you want to play at. Shout out to our bench… we all stepped up when our number was called and I’m glad we got the job done today.”

On being part of the Knicks’ journey:

“Just to be part of the journey is amazing. I appreciate coach [Brown] and everybody giving me my flowers, but this is what I worked hard for, to be in moments like this and it’s showing. I’m glad we got a win today and I’ll definitely remember this for the rest of my life.”

On Brown’s message to the team while trailing:

“Stay together, and chop the lead down. More importantly, stay together and stay confident.”

On nearly crying after the Game 4 win:

“I was about to cry, not because — obviously there is one more, but … I’m at Madison Square Garden, end of the fourth quarter, playing with these guys, and we’re playing for something special. It’s really something. I couldn’t put it in words.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On the miracle tip-in by OG:

“Right hand of God.”

“He gave us a chance to win, and that’s all you can ask for from the best two-way player in the NBA.”

On Jose Alvarado’s Game 4 performance:

“He’s a special player. His tenacity, his defensive ability and his offensive ability that I got to see first-hand… He has so much to his basketball game that people don’t give credit to and I’m glad at this stage and like this he was able to show the world what he can do when he’s given a chance. Jose Alvarado literally told everybody in the world tonight he’s a big time player.”

On an emotional Madison Square Garden after the comeback:

“I felt for all of y’all who were at the game, obviously, you could feel the abundance of joy at one time from everyone at one time, the collective joy that came out of everybody for that one moment, to hear the buzzer going off and not to see the ball go in the basket, I think we all felt something, like that emotion that was special. It’s something that MSG hasn’t had that kind of moment in a long time, so shoutout to our fans for real. I’ve seen people leave before the game was over at MSG, watching on MSG Network before. … You could see my reaction, the emotion, it kind of spilled out of that moment. It was tears of joy … All you can do is ask for a chance. And for me personally, I just wanted one break in life. And I got one.”

OG Anunoby

On what makes the Knicks the Knicks:

“We’re a team, a brotherhood, you know, we just have each other’s backs. That’s just how it goes sometimes. We would all do the same for each other.”

On his message in the locker room at halftime:

“I’ll just say stuff like, ‘We’re fine. Stay with it, we’re fine.’ “We know it’s a game of runs. We’re a resilient group. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve come back plenty of times when we’re behind. Just staying with it, weathering the storm, not being too down or angry or frustrated. Cut it down to 18, cut it down to 12, cut it down to six. Pushing through. It’s a 48-minute game. Just play to the end.”

On how Mike Brown challenged him at shootaround:

“Make an impact on the offensive glass. And it happened at the end.”

On crashing the glass after Brunson’s miss:

“I inbounded the ball to Jalen. He got a pretty good look and I just went and crashed. Tried to get a tip-dunk or something. The ball went over my head, so I couldn’t really dunk it. So, I tried to tip it in softly and it went in.”

“I was free. There was no one boxing me out. So I just went in there for a tip-dunk and then ended up just tipping it in. Brunson got a pretty good look. And I just went and crashed.”

On the defensive turnaround in the second half:

“Our contests were better, just 1 percent better. Getting out faster and then finishing possessions with rebounds.”

On pulling off another monster comeback:

“When you do it once. You know you can do it again.”

On the MSG faithful belief in these Knicks:

“They believed the whole way.”

On the team’s resilience:

“We stayed with it. It’s a game of runs. We’ve come back before, we’re battle-tested, we’re tough, we’re a resilient group.”

On staying focused on the task at hand:

“We’re enjoying it right now. But we’re just focused on the next game now.”

On the Knicks’ chemistry playing a big role in their postseason run:

“For sure, having another year together builds chemistry, builds just every day learning how to play off each other. Yeah, that means a lot. It’s a big time for us. Just going through the experience last year — we played a lot of games, 82-plus — and losing in the Eastern Conference finals and learning a lot of things about each other definitely helps.”

Josh Hart

On OG Anunoby saving him after the missed layup and rebound:

“I’ve got a special shout-out for OG, man, because he saved me, at least for this game, a lifetime of regret. So I’m sitting there just hoping my guys make a play. And OG, he’s been amazing since he’s got here. This whole playoff run, he’s been amazing on both ends of the ball. He’s a winning player and he made a winning play.”

On Anunoby’s season and game-winner:

“This whole playoff run he’s been amazing, and he’s a winning player, and he went and made a winning play.”

On the fourth-quarter defensive effort:

“That’s unreal, and doing that especially in the fourth quarter. We were able to get stops without fouling, and that fueled our offense.”

On where he ranks the Game 4 win among his career highs:

“I won a national championship in 2016. [Jalen Brunson] and [Mikal Bridges] will probably remind you that I only have one and they have two. So that night is No. 1. This one is definitely No. 2.”

On the trust and familiarity within the Knicks:

“I think you just get a familiarity and a certain comfort level with those guys. All of them can go out there and make plays, especially end of shot clock. … I think it’s more so the trust that’s built, and you know where everyone likes the ball and plays for them to execute.”

Jalen Brunson

On chipping away at the deficit:

“Really wasn’t that much to be said at that point. It was really just, we need to chip away. We need to hit singles, get on base and make plays from there.”

On focusing on what’s next instead of getting distracted:

“The most important thing for me over the next 48 hours is focusing on what we have to do to win Game 5. There’s nothing to celebrate. It’s not over yet, not even close.”

On OG Anunoby’s Game 4 performance:

“OG is someone who brings it, every night. Does what’s asked of him, plus more, every single night.”

On OG’s game-winning tip-in:

“OG being OG, just made a play.”

Landry Shamet

On the comeback atmosphere inside MSG:

“I don’t think any of us have ever seen anything like that. It’s a lot to process.

“On the bench when we’re slowly walking them down and you feel it shift a little bit and there’s a little bit of hope there that creeps in, it’s hard to explain, but if you were in the building, everybody felt it. This isn’t just talking about staying in the game, let’s cut the lead. It was like, ‘No, we’re here, let’s make something happen.’”

On Alvarado’s spark:

“He checked into the game and changed the game. That’s when things really started to shift. He’s a spark. The energy he brings for us … he was ready to go and stepped in and made some huge plays for us.”

Mitch Johnson

On the Spurs’ collapse:

“To put as much good work into that first half as we did and get the lead that we had and not finish the job, it’s disappointing to say the least. We felt the momentum [shift]. Too much to overcome? I didn’t feel that way until the clock hit zero…. We got away from playing the brand of basketball that got us the lead. And then you saw at times, the aggressiveness and conviction that we played with early on dissipated and they made some shots. We needed a couple of more tough-minded plays to finish the job.”

Victor Wembanyama

On the Spurs’ second-half collapse:

“It began before that. I can’t really explain it right now. Stopped moving the ball. Stopped executing.”

“I can’t really explain it right now, I don’t know. I think it’s just execution, greediness of some sort. We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half.”

“It’s gonna go one of two ways. A bad one and a good one. The bad one would be giving up; the good one would be getting stronger from this, getting more together, and this is what we’re gonna do.”

“It was painful, of course. It feels like we’re working too hard to give up our leads. It just hurts.”

On what’s next for San Antonio after suffering the worst loss in NBA history:

“Holding each other accountable, communicating, not pointing fingers. After that, we either got it or we don’t. But we’ve proven we can surpass these difficulties, and even though we haven’t been there before, I’m convinced we’re built this way and we’re gonna get better from this.”

On focusing on his weaknesses during his early development:

“As a kid, whether you’re 10, 13, 16 years old, you’re working for the future. You’re trying to develop your range of skills. I would say, long story short, play on your weaknesses, not only your strengths.”

On the Spurs’ identity:

“What we’ve built with this team is we have an identity that makes everybody dangerous. Sometimes it will pay off over a season, [sometimes] over a playoff series.”

On the MSG crowd and playing on the road:

“I like lively crowds, active crowds. … At home, it’s an extra motivation because you want to give the people who support you a good show. On the road, you want to do the opposite.”

Dylan Harper

On the Spurs’ mindset after falling behind 3-1:

“We’re all definitely hurt. I mean, we kind of gave the game up. Was up, what, 30? Hurt, I mean, angry. But I mean, I feel like this is all fuel to the fire for us. I think that we’re just going to go out next game with a sense of fire, and we’re just going to focus on game five. I mean, can’t do anything about it now.”

“A whole new fire, I feel like, is ignited in me, in a sense that we gave that game away. And if we’re going to lose, we’re not going out like that. We’re going to put up a fight. We’re going to keep swinging.”

On the Spurs’ chemistry despite their youth:

“I feel like those kind of events and things like that make up for the years that we weren’t together or the years that we haven’t had. So, the biggest thing, I feel like, is chemistry when you get in a building like this, when you get in an environment like this. I feel like we have the most chemistry and camaraderie, and togetherness as anyone else.”

On OG Anunoby’s tip-in:

“It bounced off the rim the right way. He tipped it in the right way. It went in. I could play, ‘Wish I could have did this, wish I could have did that.’ But at the end of the day, he tipped the ball, and it went in the rim. I definitely thought I had a hand on it. I definitely think I helped put the ball in the rim. But just got to box out.”

Stephon Castle

On the Spurs dictating the series outcomes:

“Coach Mitch said it best, we’ve pretty much dictated the winner and loser of all these games. I think that just finishing games and just trying to maintain our lead has been tough for us.”

Keldon Johnson

On the Spurs’ belief after going down 3-1:

“The main thing is that belief is there. We believe. Our belief is as high as ever. You don’t get here without belief, without faith in each other, and that’s not going to change now. If it was easy, everybody would do it.”

De’Aaron Fox

On going for a layup late instead of just running the clock:

“I just thought I’d be able to outrun (OG). That’s it. I tried to get the layup to get up three, force them to need a three, and OG made a good block.”

On what makes the Knicks different:

“Yeah, I mean, I think just all four of our playoff series this year. I mean, Portland, physical team. Minnesota, physical team. OKC, physical team. New York, physical team. I think all these teams have something in common.”

“I think on the offensive end is where these teams are really different. Neither of those other three teams shoot the ball like [New York] does. Neither of those other three teams play as fast as [New York] does. Knowing there’s something similar that we come out but knowing there’s going to be differences in some of the nuances of schematics or personnel. I think those three series did help us prepare for the physicality we were going to see.”

Charles Barkley

On the Spurs’ and Fox’s dumb late-game execution:

“We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization. We saw they had a 25-point lead, took eight straight threes. Like they thought… that was some of the most mismanaged and stupid basketball.”

“Hey, when you blow a 29-point lead, the other team has to help you. The San Antonio Spurs helped the New York Knicks win this game by doing some of the stupid a– stuff I’ve ever seen on the basketball court. When they shot when they had a 25-point lead, they shot eight threes in a row.”

“Never even came close to using any time on the clock. And you’re like, ‘This game ain’t over yet.’ Then the Spurs and DeAndre Fox, whatever his name is. Calling him a– DeAndre tonight.”

“That was a dumba– play. He did not have to shoot that ball. They could have just gotten fouled. There was no reason for him to shoot that ball. They had a 29-point lead, and they shot eight threes in a row and never came close to losing any time on the clock, and you’re like ‘This game ain’t over yet.’ The Knicks got a Christmas gift in June tonight.”

Magic Johnson

On the Knicks’ historic comeback and Fox’s decision:

“We just watched the Knicks make the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history! The first and second halves were two completely different stories – the Spurs dominated in the first half and the Knicks stormed back in the second. Jalen Brunson put the team on his back with his 36-point performance, but OG Anunoby was the true hero tonight, finishing with 33 points AND the game-winning tip-in!”

“De’Aaron Fox made a huge mistake when he got the ball with seconds left in the fourth and decided to go for a layup instead of dribbling the ball out to be fouled. I think the Spurs have another win in them, and the Series will stretch out to 6 or 7 games, but I still see the Knicks winning it all.”

Isiah Thomas

On De’Aaron Fox’s late decision:

“Fox, come on, fam! Finish that or dribble it out.”

Latrell Sprewell

On the Garden atmosphere during Game 4:

“I’ve heard it loud in here before. I remember how loud it was when [Larry Johnson] hit that four-point play against the Pacers in ’99. I’ve never heard it like this.”

Carmelo Anthony

On the physicality of Game 3:

“That game was physical as shit. There was times where [Karl-Anthony Towns] was holding on to [Victor Wembenyama], grabbing him, and it was no calls. There was times where [Jalen Brunson] was getting bumped. It was no calls.”

“I think that the physicality of this series is it’s whoever’s the most physical team, but the smart physical team, because now, after a game like that, game three back in New York, all eyes are on it, the energy that’s surrounding it, they’re going to pay close attention to all the little shit in the game. So don’t be surprised if game four they come out and the game is super tight.”

On the Knicks’ lack of response to Wembanyama’s shove of Brunson:

“Somebody should have put Wemby right there. You put me on the ground and you laughed at me? Nah. Next play, boom. He got to feel something.”

On the need for standing up for teammates on the court:

“It’s like football. If you hit the quarterback late, them offensive linemen come see you.”

On the criticism of Brunson’s shot volume:

“The reality of that is he has to do that. If he don’t do that, Knicks don’t stand a chance.”

On Towns’ small fourth-quarter involvement heading into Game 4:

“KAT just can’t have one shot in a half, fourth quarter. You can’t be doing that in the Finals. You got to set the tone for Game 4 in the post. That’s what KAT got to do. And that will help JB.”

Jeremy Lin

On whether this Knicks run is the greatest ever:

“I don’t think I know enough about the history of the older teams to fully know. But forget the Knicks, this is one of the most dominant runs we’ve seen in NBA history.”

Metta Sandiford-Artest

On his prediction for the Knicks’ season:

“They’re going to win it. I think this is going to be the time. I knew I wanted to see it in my lifetime, and it feels like Jalen Brunson is the best player in the playoffs right now even though [San Antonio’s Victor] Wembanyama is really good. But right now, Jalen Brunson is the best player in the playoffs.”

On wanting to play and lead the Knicks in his prime:

“I wanted to be the one to bring the Knicks back and be a real core piece in my prime. Being the Defensive Player of the Year in the Garden, I just felt like that would’ve been a helluva — if you would’ve come to the Garden with me on the other side in my prime, good luck to you. I’m always going to go back to me, personally. But for the Knicks to win the championship now, you can’t take it away from nobody. You can’t take it away from anybody from New York. You can’t take it away from the players. You can’t take it away from the coaches. You can’t take it away from the owners. You can’t take it away from the fans. We want to see that because we’re from New York.”

Being selected 49th overall, Tyrese Proctor faced an uphill battle for relevance in his rookie season. Even though his playing time was uneven, he showed that there’s a pathway to battle for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ backup point guard spot as early as next season.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Regular Season Stats

• 5.4 points
• 1.3 rebounds
• 1.5 assists
• 41.3% FG
• 35% 3PT FG
• 88.9% FT

It’s tough to break into the rotation on a playoff team as a rookie, never mind a second-round pick on a team with a dearth of guards. Proctor was always going to have to flash in his limited meaningful minutes with the Cavaliers this past season. For the most part, he showed that he could be up to the task with more development.

Proctor’s bread and butter is his jumper. In college, Proctor shot the three-ball around 40%. While that number dipped down to around 35% in the NBA, it could climb back up with more stable minutes in the future.

The majority of the opportunities Proctor was presented with came either in garbage time or in short bursts. The Cavaliers have done this before, most recently with Jaylon Tyson, sprinkling in some quality runs to get the young guy familiar with the system in meaningful moments.

Proctor has a lot physically going for him, he is 6’5” and has a good frame for showing combo guard potential. The Duke product isn’t a defensive hound by any means, but the instincts shown this past season give hope that there is potential for two-way play. The size gives him a huge advantage, while the athleticism is enough to create havoc in passing lanes and make smaller guards’ lives harder.

Where Proctor really struggled with was playmaking for others. It felt like sometimes the game was a little too fast. Proctor was forcing passes to make the perfect read, which while showing that he can see the floor, he didn’t necessarily have the ability yet to convert on those reads.

Proctor had 40 turnovers compared to 74 assists. A 1.85 assist-to-turnover ratio is not great, however, it is fair to note that going forward it is likely that this primary facilitator role will be held by either Donovan Mitchell or James Harden. It will be imperative that Proctor can alleviate either for possessions at a time rather than for entire games. Proctor will rarely, if ever, be the point guard of the Cavaliers’ offensive ecosystem.

Proctor’s road map is definitely there for next season. The Cavaliers have Dennis Schroeder and Craig Porter Jr. on the books vying for that backup point guard spot. Neither really offers much upside, so it’ll be a perfect opportunity for Proctor to flash his offensive skills and make use of his frame on defense.

The rookie laid a decent foundation for his role with the Cavaliers. With increased reps, Proctor could rise to become a valuable contributor sooner rather than later.

Grade: B

Knicks fans threw objects at Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama as he and his teammates returned to their Midtown hotel following New York’s historic comeback win on Wednesday night.

Wembanyama had just gotten off the team’s bus and was walking towards the entrance of the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad when an object was hurled towards him and smashed into a street sign, according to video posted on X.

San Antonio’s towering 7-foot-5 center, wearing street clothes and carrying a large Louis Vuitton duffel bag, ducked as the apparent piece of trash shattered against the post.

Security guards grabbed Wembanyama and rushed him inside the luxury hotel as the crazed fans continued jeering the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, shouting “Wemby” after the Spurs blew a 29-point lead in the 107-106 loss.

Wembanyama made one last glance at the thousands of Knicks fans behind metal barriers before he vanished inside the hotel.

Police have not been called or made any arrests around the hotel as of early Thursday morning, the NYPD told The Post.

“The Alien,” as he is known, scored 24 points and one assist in the 44 minutes he played, making only eight points in the second half and missing two crucial free throws when the Spurs were up 104-103 with 1:47 left in the 4th quarter.

Play got chippy early Wednesday night as Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was called for a flagrant foul after throwing an elbow into Wembanyama, knocking San Antonio’s big man to the floor.

As his teammates ran to pick him up, Wembanyama stared down Robinson, pointing at his temple, saying ‘I’m in your head.”

Two quarters later, Wembanyama was hit with his own Flagrant 1 after his elbow came across the face of Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns while he was trying to break free as the Spurs held their 29-point lead.

Knicks fans had swarmed the area around W28th Street waiting for the Spurs to return to the luxury hotel they’ve been staying at while in town for Game 3 and Game 4 of the NBA finals.

Hours before tip-off, Knicks fans had given the Spurs a “boo-filled” send-off to Madison Square Garden as the team boarded the bus headed towards the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”

Wembanyama had been branded public enemy number one after he got away with shoving Knicks’ captain Jalen Brunson in a dirty play during the first quarter of Game 3 on Monday.

Had Wembanyama been charged with a flagrant in Game 3, he would now have four flagrant foul points that would’ve suspended him for one game, meaning he would have missed Game 5 back in San Antonio on Saturday.

New Yorkers had called for “Wemby” to be charged with a flagrant foul, but both the referees and NBA officials declined to charge the penalty to Wembanyama.

I cannot believe that just happened.

At halftime, I remarked in the P&T group chat that I wasn’t doing player grades. Why should I? The entire team deserved a big ol’ F.

And then they did… that.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Jalen Brunson: A-

36 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 12-25 FG, 3-7 3pt, 9-11 FT, 3 turnovers, +11

It’s about damn time, Jalen.

He wasn’t immune to the unanimous feeling of being flustered in the first half that every last Knick felt, so some of the possessions looked downright ugly early, but he calmed everything down in the second half, leading the impossible comeback.

He played 23 minutes in the second half. He had 17 points on 6-11 shooting. He nailed momentum shot after momentum shot. It was vintage Jalen Brunson.

But what was most impressive was that he was more willing to get the ball out of his hands. He had some bad turnovers, but had a series-high in assists and was more willing to work off-ball. The plan coming into the game was very clearly to get back to the KAT-centric offense, but him getting in foul trouble early ruined it.

I cannot find it in my heart to critique really anything. Even his startling final shot was calculated. He dragged Victor Wembanyama out of the paint with his gravity, and it allowed OG Anunoby to fly in for a putback to win the game.

Mikal Bridges: D

7 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3-9 FG, 1-3 3pt, -2

I refuse to be too negative after that game, but this was another disappointing game for Bridges, who’s now just 1-for-4 in the Finals on impactful games.

He played just 28 minutes and spent a lot of the fourth on the bench after not making much of an impact early. The defense wasn’t good enough. The offense wasn’t good.

The Knicks won. Moving on.

Josh Hart: D

6 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2-4 FG, 1-2 3pt, 1-3 FT, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, +11

For all the good that Josh Hart has done for this franchise, this could’ve been the game that sealed him in history in infamy.

The brick open layup for the lead. The ball-watching on the Stephon Castle offensive rebound. Two disastrous plays threatened to spoil one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.

Even aside from that, he didn’t really do much. He clearly had some sort of impact, being on the court for pretty much the entire comeback, but man.

OG Anunoby: A+++++

33 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 stocks, 10-15 FG, 7-9 3pt, 6-6 FT, -1

This is one of the greatest games in Knicks history. This was, quite simply, unbelievable.

He made clutch three after clutch three. His shooting in the first half was the only reason we weren’t down 50. Every time he had the ball, he made something happen.

He made a game-saving play when he swatted De’Aaron Fox on a layup with 15 seconds to go. He then hit the greatest shot in franchise history by tipping in a missed 3 by Brunson.

If you excuse me, I’ll be asking Fanatics to remind me when OG Finals jerseys are back in stock.

Karl-Anthony Towns: B

13 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 4-5 FG, 2-2 3pt, 4-4 FT, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, +17

What a weird game.

It was absolutely abysmal that he was forced out of the game in one minute because of two ticky-tack calls. He’s a star. Why doesn’t he get a whistle like one? Oh, wait, I can think of a reason.

Anyway, the one benefit of him being glued to the bench for the entire first half is that he was able to empty the tank in the second half, playing 17 of his 26 minutes. He was unable to get to much offense, but he was a beast on the boards, re-established physicality on Wemby, and played with energy.

He also scored five points in that fourth-quarter run, including an incredible stepback three and a drive on Wemby himself that was probably also a blocking foul. Zach Zarba, this is why you let the man play.

(Bonus: He seems to have tipped the game-ending inbound that led to Castle not getting a clean catch. Big time stuff.)

Deuce McBride: F

0 points, 0 assists, 0 rebounds, 0-4 FG, 0-4 3pt, -14 (7 minutes)

Dude.

José Alvarado: A

8 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 3-4 FG, 2-3 3pt, +11

The New York kid had a New York moment.

Mike Brown got bold in the fourth quarter. He played Alvarado alongside Brunson, giving up a ridiculous amount of size on the defensive end to diversify the team’s offense and take pressure off JB.

In his 16 minutes, he committed five fouls. He played with intensity. He bit Wemby’s ankles. He made two massive shots in a row to cut the lead to four with 3 minutes to go.

Dalen Terry and two second-round picks, everyone.

Landry Shamet: D-

0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 0-3 FG, 0-2 3pt, -13

These last two games have been so ugly for Shamet on both ends.

Well, he loves playing on the road and loves closeout games. See you in San Antonio.

Mitchell Robinson: C

2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1-5 FG, 0-4 FT, 3 OREB, -14

He probably deserves a D, to be honest. He looked gassed when he had to come in to play early for KAT. He missed three layups early and a dunk in the third quarter. He was pulled for Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan.

Why does he get a C? He got a lick back on Wemby late in the first quarter for his shenanigans the last two games. It wasn’t the turning point, per se, but it was the warning shot that the Knicks were done getting punked by Victor Wembanyama. That’s what an enforcer does.

Jordan Clarkson: D-

2 points, 1 rebound, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3pt, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, +2

These were some ugly minutes. When the Knicks tried to make a run in the third quarter, he was extremely clumsy with the ball and threw away multiple possessions.

You had to reward him with minutes with the way Deuce is playing and how he played on Monday, but goodness.

Miscellanous

Ariel Hukporti: Welcome to the series, Huk! Three minutes, 1 block, 1 foul. He didn’t really do much, but I guess he was the start of slowing down Wemby late in the second quarter?

Jeremy Sochan: The only thing I remember him doing in three minutes was taking a hilarious turnaround jumper that missed badly. The center rotation was in shambles in that first half. Trey Jemison III, where art thou?

Why LeBron James to Warriors is improbable, but shouldn't be dismissed originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Visualizing LeBron James leaving the Los Angeles Lakers to join the Warriors requires tuning out financial implications, a hyperactive imagination and prolonged suspension of disbelief. Too many reasons why it can’t happen. Won’t happen. Shouldn’t happen.

But rumors of a potential Warriors-LeBron union won’t die, and one of the reasons it lives is that none of the principal figures is going on the record to kill it.

And some are saying off the record that it cannot be dismissed.

“I know it seems crazy,” one well-connected league source told NBC Sports Bay Area on Wednesday. “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.”

The general belief is that James likely will remain in Los Angeles, where he can continue to play alongside his son, Bronny, and stay close to his family. The Lakers can offer a considerably larger contract than Golden State, which tops out at the non-taxpayer midlevel exception of about $15 million.

Many other factors keep supplying oxygen to the speculation, from the mutual respect between Stephen Curry and James, along with Steve Kerr’s deep appreciation for smart players. There also is the proximity of the Bay Area to James’ home and business infrastructure in greater LA.

There is another factor, however, that won’t leave my mind: Attempting a feat never accomplished has a seductive appeal for alpha competitors like Steph and LeBron. No team with its top four players averaging more than 35 years of age has won the NBA Finals.

Curry and James have built legendary careers by defying realistic expectations. Steph, selected seventh overall by the Warriors in the 2009 NBA Draft, is the only unanimous MVP winner in league history and the engine within a once-forlorn franchise becoming a global icon. James entered the league as a teenager advertised as the next superstar and has exceeded that. He’s the all-time leader in games, minutes and points, top five in assists and top 25 in rebounding. At age 40 in 2024-25, he still was putting up MVP-like numbers.

Once bitter rivals in four consecutive NBA Finals, Curry and James have since bonded over shared greatness and as teammates on Team USA basketball. Their competitive fires continue to burn, and they still enjoy beating each other. But when elite athletes see the sun setting on their careers, they better understand they share a bigger community. Different teams, same society. Their hearts tend to find enough room for appreciation.

James went on record years ago saying he likes the idea of playing with Curry.

Curry has not fully reciprocated, not yet, but a meeting is expected, according to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. Knowing Steph’s thirst for playing “meaningful basketball,” he’d listen to any move that would bolster the Warriors. 

Is that enough for Curry to gather influential teammates Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green – one of LeBron’s best friends – to make a recruiting pitch? Probably. The least that can happen is no agreement.

The most that can happen is James rocking the world by working out a deal with Golden State. Why would he even consider such a thing? Because his presence would intensify marquees in every town the Warriors visit. Because he knows it would be unique to punctuate an illustrious career. Because he likes/respects Steph and Jimmy and Draymond.

And because LeBron’s contract, whether $50 million in LA or $15 million in Bay Area, won’t be the primary force behind his decision. He’s already said as much. And it’s believable insofar as his net worth, according to the pocket-watchers at Forbes, is about $1.4 billion.

Why would Warriors CEO Joe Lacob be on board? Because he loves stars. Because he learned 10 years ago, after successfully recruiting Kevin Durant, that anything is possible if you persuasively shoot your shot. Lacob knows the value of a superstar goes beyond on-court metrics, and that every game at Chase Center would be The Event, not just in the NBA but across sports.

As captivating as it is when it’s Steph vs. LeBron, Steph and LeBron would be irresistible.

Durant was a rival until the Warriors chased and caught him. Chris Paul was a rival, and the Warriors traded for him. Perhaps the poster man for Golden State’s surprising star-level additions is DeMarcus Cousins in 2018.

But it was only a few weeks ago that Kerr said he didn’t want another roster top-heavy with guys unable to play back-to-back sets. Butler turns 37 in September and isn’t expected back until midseason. James turns 42 in December. Green turns 37 next March, 10 days before Curry turns 39. If all four are on the roster, Kerr could find a way to stagger them.

James is set to become an unrestricted free agent in month’s end. The chatter connecting him to the Warriors isn’t going anywhere until somebody on either side shuts it down.

Meanwhile, enjoy this improbably juicy morsel of summer. For however long it lasts.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

For nearly 47 minutes, the San Antonio Spurs looked poised to leave Madison Square Garden with the NBA finals level at two games apiece.

They’d led by 81-52 in the third quarter, brought a frenzied Madison Square Garden crowd to heel and put themselves on the verge of reclaiming home-court advantage after having dropped the first two games at home. Even after the Knicks mounted a furious second-half fightback and wiped out the entirety of San Antonio’s 29-point cushion, the Spurs still appeared to have one final lifeline.

Related: Knicks beat Spurs with largest NBA finals comeback to move to brink of first title since 1973

Then came a decision that could haunt San Antonio for years if the Knicks go on to end their 53-year championship drought.

The Spurs led 106-105 with less than 15 seconds remaining Wednesday night when Jalen Brunson’s floating bank shot ricocheted into the backcourt. The loose ball bounced toward De’Aaron Fox, who sprinted after it and found himself racing toward the basket with only a trailing OG Anunoby between him and what looked like a game-clinching score.

Instead of pulling the ball out and forcing New York to foul, Fox attacked the rim. But Anunoby chased him down and blocked the lay-up attempt.

Seconds later, the Knicks had the ball back. Brunson missed a 31-footer off the front of the rim, but Anunoby soared in from the top of the key and tipped home the winner with 1.2 seconds remaining, completing an improbable 107-106 victory and the largest comeback in NBA finals history.

Fox did not shy away from explaining his thought process afterward.

“You have to score. Try to get a lay-up, get up three [points]. Force them to need a three,” Fox said. “OG made a good block.”

Asked why he went for the basket rather than dribbling out the clock and forcing a foul, the ninth-year point guard was to the point.

“I just thought I’d be able to outrun them. That’s it.”

The explanation did little to quell the criticism.

On TNT’s post-game show, Charles Barkley delivered a verdict that quickly spread across social media and sports television.

“That was a dumbass play,” Barkley said. “He did not have to shoot that ball.”

The blunt assessment reflected the reaction around the basketball world. With the Spurs clinging to a one-point lead, Fox had safer options available. He could have retreated from pressure and waited to be fouled, shaving precious seconds off the clock. He could have used San Antonio’s final timeout. Instead, he chose the most aggressive path – a gamble Anunoby made him pay dearly for.

Of course, reducing the collapse to a single possession would let the Spurs off too easily. The final mistake merely capped a spectacular unraveling that had begun long before Fox found himself alone in the open floor. San Antonio scored 76 points in the first half but just 30 after half-time. The crisp ball movement and long-distance sharpshooting that had carved apart New York’s defense evaporated as the Knicks chipped away at the deficit.

“Obviously let that get away, being up [29 points],” Fox said. “Got away from doing the things that got us up and put ourselves in that position.”

“I think we played a little slower,” he added. “The ball wasn’t moving the same way that it did in the second half like it did in the first half. We didn’t get a flow on the offensive end in the second half.”

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson saw the same thing.

“We got away from what got us the 76 points in the first half,” Johnson said. “Then you saw at times the aggressiveness and just conviction that we played with early on dissipate a little bit. They made some shots. That’s where you felt the momentum a little bit. We just needed few more tough-minded plays to finish the job.”

He added: “To put as much good work into that first half as we did, get the lead that we had and not finish the job, is disappointing to say the least.”

Wembanyama said he was unable to see Fox’s fateful layup attempt after tumbling to the floor during the play, but he offered a curt appraisal of the Spurs’ second-half performance.

“We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half,” Wembanyama said. “Stopped moving the ball. Stopped executing.”

That reality may ultimately be what stings most for San Antonio. Fox’s layup attempt did not create the collapse. The Spurs had already let a 29-point lead fritter away by then. What the play did was quash their last chance to survive it.

“Going down 3-1 is obviously very different,” Fox said. “But we feel like we have a team to be able to come back from this.”

Two minutes earlier, the Spurs were staring at a tied series with momentum to burn and a restored clear path to a championship. One miscue later, they were left to reckon with a reality that had seemed impossible minutes earlier.

For the fourth time in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks did not start off the game well in Wednesday night’s Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, going down 41-22 after the first 12 minutes.

It was actually the worst first quarter, in regards to point-differential, by New York not just in the series, but during the playoffs. And after dropping Game 3 on Monday night following another disappointing opening quarter, the Knicks vowed to get off to a better start in Game 4.

What happened instead, though, was New York falling behind by as many as 29 points and going into halftime down by 27 points. A good third quarter helped things slightly, but the Knicks still found themselves trailing by 20 points with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter and almost assuredly leaving New York without a win while losing the momentum of the series as well.

Of course, that didn’t happen after the Knicks pulled off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history thanks to a complete shift in execution and OG Anunoby’s tip-in game-winner with 1.2 seconds left.

While New York is up 3-1 in the series and just one win away from its first NBA championship in more than 50 years, the series, which moves back to San Antonio for Saturday’s Game 5, is far from over. 

Therefore, the Knicks need to start playing like they did in the second half in the first quarter if they want to thwart any ideas of a comeback by the Spurs.

“We got a lot to learn in these next couple of days, but our mentality has to be 0-0 – the way it’s been,” Jalen Brunson said. “It has to be that way and I feel like us moving forward with that mindset could really benefit us. There’s nothing to celebrate because it’s not over yet. Not even close.”

Sure, Brunson is right. While New York hasn’t won anything just yet and the main celebration cannot commence, the team surely celebrated together following Game 4’s improbable comeback win.

But after all of that dies down and the Knicks get closer to Game 5, the goal will once again be to win at all costs.

“We can get excited and enjoy this, but we got one more to do,” Jose Alvarado said. “So that’s the main goal, the next game.”

If New York is able to enjoy a better first quarter, it will give it a better chance to come out on top. And even though it’s possible the Knicks can overcome yet another poor opening frame – let’s face it, they’ve done it three times already – it’s a dangerous way to live.

Sooner or later, New York’s luck will run out if it keeps putting itself into these tough positions. Remember Game 2 where San Antonio was one bad pass away from possibly winning the game? 

One could even make the argument that the Spurs deserve to be up 3-1, not the Knicks. Of course, the most deserving don’t always get what they want, and it’s New York who is one win away, but it goes to show just how close San Antonio is and for the Knicks to not take it lightly.

“The most important thing for me over these next 48 hours is just focusing on what I can do to win Game 5,” Brunson said.