New year, New York, 2024. BasketballBuzz was in the Big Apple to watch the Knicks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at The Mecca of Madison Square Garden. This was nine months before these two teams would be involved in a big Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle blockbuster trade that would bring KAT to a bodega near the five boroughs.
Yet, New York had already made a big deal just in the Knick of January 1st time. Acquiring Toronto Raptors underrated do-it-all star OG Anunoby for the Maple Mamba homecoming of RJ Barrett. Anunoby drizzled in 17 points and 6 rebounds in his smooth like syrup MSG debut to turn the calendar.
Even as a one-year-old this writer could probably still hear the controversial call. Back in 1986, during a quarter-finals game of the FIFA World Cup, football icon Diego Maradona scored a goal against my native English side via a handball against goalkeeping great Peter Shilton. Looking like the perfect basketball play, this goal now lives in infamy thanks to Maradona dubbing it, “the hand of God.”
That cheeky but legendary son of a gun.
Forty years later, and the New York Knicks rallied back from a 29-point deficit in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against a San Antonio Spurs side looking to even the series. An epic event in The Garden of Eden, one to even rival Willis Reed’s Game 7 bold bravery in 1970, came from an OG from The U.K.
The best comeback in NBA Finals history was capped off by one of the greatest shots in New York Knickerbocker lore. One in which you’ll always remember where you were. Like me, stealing Wi-Fi outside a Starbucks on my brief break because there was no way I was going to miss an iconic moment in the city of cities.
The hand of OG.
A stroke of genius and good fortune from the basketball Gods, now the bad-luck curse is out of the arena.
Down one and with just over ten seconds left in regulation, the Knicks lost a crucial possession that could have had them back on top. All after a hard-fought game that had former Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle trying to turn The Garden into ruins. Spurred on, the best clutch player of a few seasons back, De’Aaron Fox, ran a fast break like his postseason life depended on it (it did). Only to be met at the rim by OG Anunoby who gave us a clutch block out of the LBJ playbook.
If that wasn’t enough, after inbounding the ball, OG made the best offensive rebound of anyone’s, let alone his, career. Sure-fire Finals MVP Jalen Brunson (36 points) received the ball at the Knicks logo, surrounded by the Larry O’Brien trophy he refuses to talk about…yet. Throwing up a prayer, like his pre-game baseline routine, with just under five seconds left to play, and no Mike Breen “BANG”, this was not almost 40 for Brunson.
Instead, with every other player, save those on the bench, in the paint and just shy of two seconds left to play, OG Anunoby tipped in a magnificent moment in The Mecca that even had me in tears…and this isn’t even my team. Although I have plenty of Madison Square memories for my own New York times.
Bedlam.
Pandemonium.
Everything.
The Wu-Tang Clan (who gave a halftime show that was nothing to fuss with), Nas, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld (his face said it all), Larry David, Tracy Morgan and John McEnroe (you really can’t be serious) couldn’t believe it. Not to mention the most famous face in the world’s most famous arena, Taylor Swift, flanked by the Haim sisters, wearing “Knickelback”, “Stevie Knicks”, “Knickolas Cage” and “Knickole Kidman” t-shirts custom-made by Alana Haim.
Neither could Knick legends like Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, Latrell Sprewell, Marcus Camby, Jeremy Lin and the one and only Walt Frazier in the world’s most fabulous suit. Nor the real Knicks Sixth Man, ‘He Got Game’ director Spike Lee. Still the super fan. Despite strong competition this season from ticket holders Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Ben Stiller and Fat Joe.
“I love you, man”, Towns told the game-winner, KAT’s epic and emotional embrace at the final horn saying it all.
OG now owns the tenth NBA Finals game-winner with three-seconds or less remaining since 1971.
“It’s electric. There’s nothing like it. Best fans in the world. It’s amazing”, Anunoby said post-game as the Garden was still blooming with chants of “O-G, O-G.” The thirty-second and thirty-third of his 33 points, with just 1.2 seconds left to play giving the New York Knicks a 107-106 win against the San Antonio Spurs and their alien invasion of Manhattan. One that, out of this Wemby world, almost looked game, set and match to even things up like Steven.
You know how this momentum changing game of runs goes. Arguably as important as anything but a Game 7. Maybe even more crucial than a victory lap close-out. If the ball rolled around the cylinder and missed, we’d be all square and have even more of a series on our hands than we already do. With the Knicks up 3-1, just shy of a sweep, they look to put San An to sleep. Yet, these Finals are so much more than the box score in terms of competitiveness and fire.
This tip altered the series scales in a major way. To OG, or not to OG? That was the question for theatre in The Garden more dramatic than Shakespeare’s Globe.
Now, instead of heading back to Charles Barkley’s favourite city for women in a deadlock, the Knicks are one game away from winning their first championship in over a half-century. This really could go the full seven, not to mention either way, and it would be great to see New York win at the Garden, in front of these fans. But, after both teams drew first blood on each other’s floor, it looks like the city bathed in orange and blue just wants to close the wound, like they closed out this contest.
A champion in Canada, it was an NBA Finals O.G. that has put the Knicks in touching distance. Now let’s see if New York can hold ’em, and much more to come, in Texas.
Thank the Gods. Basketball is beautiful and this game we love was one of the greatest.
