If it appeared like the Spurs had no clue what they were doing for the final 24 minutes of Game 4, that actually may have been the case.
A damning video has emerged showing San Antonio in complete defensive disarray before its fateful final defensive possession in which OG Anunoby tipped in an offensive rebound with 1.2 seconds remaining to complete the Knicks’ 29-point rally in the biggest comeback victory in NBA Finals history.
An overhead video shows several Spurs players pointing at different Knicks players with 5.7 seconds remaining in the 107-106 loss, seemingly in mass confusion.
After De’Aaron Fox made arguably one of the worst decisions in NBA history to attempt a layup while leading 106-105 with roughly 11 seconds left only to be blocked by Anunoby, the Knicks called a timeout and subbed in Landry Shamet for Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges for Jose Alvarado.
The Spurs kept their same five on the floor — Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama — and it seems they did not expect the lineup change.
Harper flashed his eyes to the sideline while the Knicks took the court, seemingly unsure of who he should be guarding on the play.
Fox pointed to an unguarded Shamet, seemingly indicating that someone should be on him, while the uneasiness among the Spurs grew.
Several players started pointing in different directions, with Castle actually holding out his hands in a manner that indicated, “What is going on?”
Castle and Wembanyama both went toward Karl-Anthony Towns, all while Shamet remained unguarded.
Wembanyama eventually went out to Bridges, while Harper grabbed Landry.
The Spurs had a man on each Knick on the court while Fox played rover, and they made the curious decision to leave the inbounder, Anunoby, unoccupied.
This call loomed large when Fox opted to double team Jalen Brunson with Wembanyama, which allowed the Knicks to have a 4-on-3 chance at the rim when Brunson missed a long 3.
Anunoby ran free toward the hoop and jumped above a pair of Spurs defenders to tip in the rebound in the play that could be what ultimately lost the series for the Spurs.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson called the tip in a combination of a great play by Anunoby, plus a breakdown by his defense.
Fox seemingly just standing around after Brunson shot the ball, adding to his already brutal night.
“Yeah, bounce off the rim the right way. He tipped it in the right way. It went in,” Harper said after one of the worst defeats in franchise history. “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.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
