The Spurs seemed completely lost during the final stretch of Game 4, and perhaps they really were in over their heads.
In what became the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, a revealing video has surfaced showing San Antonio’s chaotic defense just before OG Anunoby’s critical rebound, which came with a mere 1.2 seconds left, capping off a 29-point comeback.
Footage from above reveals several Spurs players directing chaos, pointing at a Knicks player with only 5.7 seconds remaining in their narrow 107-106 defeat.
After De’Aaron Fox made one of the most questionable plays in NBA history, attempting a layup with the Knicks trailing 106-105 and about 11 seconds to go, Anunoby blocked him. Following that, the Knicks called a timeout, substituting Josh Hart for Landry Shamet and bringing Mikal Bridges on for Jose Alvarado.
Interestingly, the Spurs didn’t adjust their lineup, keeping Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell, and Victor Wembanyama on the court—indicative of their apparent lack of preparation for any alternations.
During that timeout break, Harper seemed to look to the sidelines, perhaps confused about who he should defend.
Fox appeared to signal for someone to watch Shamet, yet this only added to the rising tension among the Spurs players.
Amid the confusion, a few teammates were pointing in various directions, while Castle held out his hand as if to say, “What’s the plan?”
Surprisingly, both Castle and Wembanyama moved toward Karl-Anthony Towns, all the while leaving Shamet seemingly unprotected.
In a peculiar defensive setup, the Spurs decided to assign a player to each Knicks player, while Fox roamed freely, inadvertently leaving Anunoby open.
This decision had serious implications when Fox doubled up on Jalen Brunson and Wembanyama, giving the Knicks an advantageous 4-on-3 situation at the basket, which led to Brunson missing a long three-pointer.
Unbeknownst to the Spurs, Anunoby sprang into action, leaping over two defenders to grab the rebound, which could have been pivotal in deciding the outcome of the series.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson acknowledged both Anunoby’s skill and the breakdowns on defense.
After the game, Fox seemed to freeze when the ball came back to him, which didn’t help an already tough night for the team.
“Yeah, it bounced off the rim perfectly. He tipped it just right, and the ball went in,” Harper reflected after the painful loss. “I wish I could have done things differently—made different plays or box outs. But in the end, he directed it in, and I believed I had it covered.”
