The San Antonio Spurs have been torn to shreds as the “dumbest basketball team in the history of civilisation” after New York’s record 29-point comeback in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
The Knicks went up 3-1 in the championship series after OG Anunoby’s heroic game-winning tip-in off a Jalen Brunson miss with just over a second left in the fourth quarter clinched a 107-106 victory in a bonkers ending.
It made for scenes of pure pandemonium at Madison Square Garden in front of a sell-out, star-studded crowd of celebrities, with New York on the brink of its first NBA title in 53 years.
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Anunoby’s game-winner came after San Antonio was in total control in the makings of an NBA blowout, holding a 71-42 lead at one stage, including by 20-plus points early in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks outscored San Antonio 58-30 in the second half as Mitch Johnson’s team went ice cold after the visitors were red hot from 3-point land earlier.
And so there’s two sides of the story.
On one hand, New York just pulled off an unthinkable, record comeback that will go down in Knicks folklore.
On the other, San Antonio suffered historically bad fade-out on the NBA’s biggest stage in a horror-show choke job.
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It eclipsed Boston’s 24-point comeback over the Lakers in Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals as the biggest come-from-behind win in the title-deciding series’ history.
As expected, the NBA world, much like Knicks fans in attendance, were left in disbelief.
“We saw the greatest comeback in NBA history. But we also saw what San Antonio did not do in Game 2,” NBA legend Kenny Smith said on ESPN post-match.
“Jalen Brunson takes a quick shot, gives them enough time for a tip in or foul. Just a great comeback, great clock management, great understanding of what it takes to win an NBA championship when the game got close.”
Fellow NBA great Charles Barkley, however, was more scathing in his assessment of the Spurs.
“Is that what you gon’ come up with? Hell no, hell no,” Barkley responded.
“We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilisation.
“They had a 25-point lead, took eight-straight threes. That was the some of the most mismanaged, stupid basketball.
“Hey, when you a 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 stupidest ass staff I’ve ever seen on a basketball court.”
Barkley was particularly critical of De’Aaron Fox’s “dumb ass play” that cost San Antonio badly late.
Instead of holding onto the ball after a critical stop with San Antonio up 106-105 with 14 seconds remaining, Fox ran a fast-break play and got blocked at the rim by Anunoby.
It gave the ball back to New York and set up the game-winning possession.
“He did not have to shoot that ball,” Barkey said.
“They could’ve just got fouled, there was no reason for him to shoot that ball.”
Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal saw it similar to Barkley.
“Congratulations to the Knicks for coming back. But Chuck (Barkley), I agree with you,” he said.
“They played terrible basketball, they got comfortable, they got comfortable with the lead.
“There was already talk about going back to San Antonio. They just didn’t play smart.
“You never know what a champion is until you become a champion. Tonight, the Knicks fought like a champion.”