OG Anunoby’s Tip-In Helps Knicks Take 3-1 NBA Finals Lead

BusinessSportsMoneyOG Anunoby’s Tip-In Helps Knicks Take 3-1 NBA Finals LeadByTim Casey,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Tim Casey is a reporter who covers basketball and sports business.Follow AuthorJun 11, 2026, 05:00am EDTNew York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) shoots during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.During the New York Knicks’ shootaround on Wednesday, coach Mike Brown challenged OG Anunoby, telling the forward he needed to be aggressive as an offensive rebounder. Anunoby had no offensive rebounds in the NBA finals’ first three games. But later that night, after Jalen Brunson missed a 3-pointer, Anunoby ran towards the basket and tipped the ball through the hoop with 1.2 seconds remaining for a one-point lead.When the San Antonio Spurs couldn’t score on the other end, the Knicks had secured a 107-106 victory, overcoming a 29-point deficit, the largest in finals history, to take a three games to one lead and put Anunoby in franchise lore.“That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball,” Brown said.While longtime Knicks’ fans may debate Brown’s proclamation, they would no doubt place Anunoby’s tip-in as an iconic moment considering the high-pressure situation. For most of the night at Madison Square Garden, it looked like the series would head back to San Antonio for Saturday’s Game 5 tied at two games apiece, with the road team winning each game. Instead, the Knicks are now one victory away from their first title since 1973.The Spurs were up 76-49 at halftime, the third-largest halftime advantage in finals history, and made a finals record 14 3’s. They led by as many as 29 points early in the third quarter and by 20 with less than 10 minutes remaining. But over the final nine minutes and 16 seconds, the Knicks went on a 32...