Ben Stiller Reacts to Knicks’ NBA Finals Comeback

On Wednesday night, Ben Stiller found himself in disbelief over the Knicks’ remarkable comeback in the NBA Finals. Well, sort of disbelief. After all, as a dedicated fan with a front row seat for every playoff game, he knows a thing or two about resilience.

Many might find it hard to fathom that the Knicks managed to claw back from a 29-point deficit, capped by OG Anunoby’s incredible putback just 1.2 seconds before the buzzer, putting them one win away from breaking a 53-year title drought. But for the 60-year-old actor, it seemed almost expected.

Stiller expressed his excitement to CBS New York, saying, “What a team, what a team. Come on.” After the Knicks gained a 3-1 series lead against the Spurs, he added, “I can’t believe it—I mean, I believe it, because this team…” It was clear he was still processing the shock of the situation.

He later described the moment as “the craziest comeback I’ve ever seen,” capturing it all on his phone while filming an HBO documentary during the game.

Stiller and his wife, Christine Taylor, were among numerous celebrities at Madison Square Garden who transitioned from despair at halftime to elation as the game progressed.

The crowd included familiar faces like Spike Lee, Fat Joe, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Morgan, and Mariska Hargitay, along with surprise appearances from Taylor Swift and Hailey Bieber. For many of them, this was a long-awaited moment.

Stiller reminisced about the last time the Knicks were in the Finals, which was back in 1999 against the same Spurs. Reflecting on his journey as a Knicks fan—filled with heartache since their last championship in 1973—he remarked, “I’ve been living with the idea, ‘Oh, the Knicks won’t make it, the Knicks have never been good, the Knicks have always been a joke.'” It’s a sentiment many fans can relate to. He spoke to the Post, sharing how the expectation of disappointment had almost become normal for him.

There’s a famous quote from Sam Rosen when the Rangers ended their 54-year Stanley Cup drought: “This is going to last forever.” Perhaps, with one more victory, that could apply to the Knicks in a way no fan has dared hope for in decades.