- 2 days ago
The Knicks pulled off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history last night! Listen as The Junks break down Game 4.
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00:00We're asking the question, was it the greatest comeback by the Knicks last night
00:04or just a gag job by the Spurs to blow a massive lead
00:08that would have evened the series heading back to San Antonio?
00:12It's just a massive shift in the series with the Knicks winning
00:16instead of the Spurs holding on to the lead.
00:18Great comeback or huge gag job?
00:22It's definitely a combo.
00:23I think it's more of a gag job than a comeback.
00:27But on the other end, the Knicks had to score points.
00:30Yeah, they needed them to shoot almost 50% from threes.
00:32I mean, it's some big shots down the stretch.
00:34I would be with you on that side of it, that the Spurs just choked it away
00:39because of the decisions they made.
00:40And I blame some of that on the coaching, too.
00:42They would have gotten away with it if they just shot 35% or something from threes.
00:46Or if one be hit is free throws.
00:47I agree with Cakes.
00:49It's a bigger choke.
00:51There's no doubt in my mind it's a bigger choke.
00:53You have to credit the Knicks for making the plays.
00:55It'll go down.
00:56It is, right now, the greatest NBA Finals comeback, a 29-point lead.
01:02But it's a choke.
01:03I'm looking at the play-by-play.
01:05With 9 minutes and 33 seconds left in the game, Wemby gets a bucket.
01:10They're up by 20.
01:12Yeah.
01:12They're up by 20 with 9 minutes and 33 seconds left.
01:17That's not third quarter.
01:18This is the fourth quarter.
01:20But it is the NBA.
01:20Still, the rest of the game, the Spurs came up with 11 points.
01:27They were outscored 32-11 thereafter.
01:30And the reason why I'd say it's a choke is Wemby's free throws, De'Aaron Fox, you gotta...
01:38And by the way, he saw him coming.
01:41Like, if you watch that last play, he checks over his shoulder.
01:46He knows Ananobi is trailing him.
01:47But he does literally...
01:48I get it.
01:49He did the wrong thing.
01:50He had it...
01:50He was three feet for the basket.
01:51We tried to put it up on the glass.
01:52He was three feet for the basket.
01:53We picked it up.
01:53If you go up to dunk it, one thing.
01:56Look, there have been great plays like that.
02:00LeBron's chase down block against Iguodala.
02:04Yep.
02:05You just gotta know better.
02:06You're a vet.
02:07Well, there's a clip out there, a viral, of a New York Knicks fan going through all
02:12of Fox's blunders in that game, and all his turnovers, or just throwing the ball at guys
02:18as their backs are turned, and just inexplicably turning the ball over in some bad shots, and
02:23then breaking down the last minute or so, where he doubles and leaves Ananobi free.
02:28It's pretty brutal.
02:30It's a choke job for Wemby, too.
02:31He had four turnovers in the game.
02:33Sure.
02:33Wemby down the stretch, second half, eight points, three for 14 shooting, and his plus
02:41minus, minus 27 in the second half.
02:44It was bad.
02:44Yeah.
02:45Well, all their plus minuses must have been pretty bad.
02:47Yeah.
02:47The guys were on the floor in the second half.
02:48I didn't even realize in the last play that Towns tipped it, because otherwise, if you
02:54look at it, it could have been a dunk.
02:57The very last play, where the Spurs had the ball with 1.2 seconds left, Towns tips it,
03:05and that's why it goes to, I think it was Castle.
03:07He was going around.
03:08He had a beat for a dunk.
03:10Yeah.
03:10You see it in slow motion.
03:11Yeah, if it was maybe a better pass, too.
03:13Well, it was tipped.
03:14Yeah.
03:15It might have been a perfect pass.
03:17It was a young, inexperienced playoff team, postseason team, making bad decisions, taking
03:25way too many throws.
03:25There's no reason to take 43 threes in that game if you're up 97% of the time.
03:32They were up 97% of that game, and their biggest lead was almost 30.
03:36There's no reason to be taking 43 threes.
03:39That's on Mitch, because...
03:40Okay.
03:41I agree.
03:42The Spurs were in the bonus with over seven minutes left in the game.
03:45You go back and watch it.
03:47I know.
03:47They never attack the rim at all, except for Wemby's at the very end there where he got
03:52the two free throws, and he missed.
03:53Correct.
03:53For the final seven minutes of the game, they stand around, and they shoot the three-pointers,
03:57and they dribble, and try to do the dribble screens.
03:59They had 28 points in the paint the entire game.
04:03Now, to defend the coaching staff, they might have been telling the players to do that,
04:07and the players just didn't do it.
04:08It's a possibility.
04:09I think there was no plays being ran.
04:11Yeah, but maybe they're telling these guys, because there's no way that coaching staff is that
04:15stupid.
04:16Mitch Johnson and all those assistants.
04:17I think there's a lot of inexperience went around there.
04:20Yeah.
04:20I think that's what it is.
04:21I think that's what it is.
04:22There's certainly a lot on the court.
04:24There's no way if Pop is coaching in his prime that happens.
04:27No, no.
04:27That's not happening.
04:28Can you imagine being a die-hard Spurs fan, watching that just unravel?
04:33My brother-in-law.
04:34You're chalking that up as a win.
04:36Yeah.
04:36Of course.
04:37You're like, we're up by 29 points.
04:39We're going back to San Antonio with this series even.
04:42Well, I'm telling you, I think we all agreed whoever won that was going to win the series.
04:47I actually thought the Spurs were going to win it before they played, and I thought they
04:49were going to win the series, and now I don't.
04:51I think it's over.
04:53Phone numbers.
04:53Up 3-1.
04:54I've got to win three straight.
04:55It's not going to happen.
04:56I want to hear from Knicks fans, from Spurs fans, 1-800-636-1067.
05:00How do you see it?
05:02Bigger comeback or bigger choke job?
05:04I would lean with cakes and go bigger choke job just based on some of those critical plays.
05:10But I do have to say, part of that comeback is Jose Alvarado.
05:16I mean, Alvarado making big plays, buckets.
05:18He hits a three-pointer with three minutes left, and all of a sudden, the games, when
05:24it got to a four-point game, like, oh my God, it's a four-point.
05:27The Knicks are going to take this.
05:29But the reason I lean choke job is because if the Spurs just get one more bucket, they
05:34lost by one point.
05:36It took perfection from the Knicks and absolutely just choking, having terrible possessions.
05:41If Darren Fox dribbles it out, he gets fouled.
05:44He's a pretty good foul shooter.
05:45He might have missed it.
05:46Who knows?
05:47Maybe.
05:48But you're up by one.
05:49You're up by one there.
05:50Yeah.
05:51It was really tough to watch if you're a Spurs fan.
05:54Really tough to watch.
05:55By the way, Jose Alvarado almost had a backcourt right before that timeout on the last play.
05:59I know.
05:59I thought it was a backcourt.
06:00But I guess the ball and the entire body and the ball has to be over.
06:03But it was, Alvarado had more points in the fourth quarter than any Spur.
06:12Think about that.
06:12That's a shocking stat.
06:14He's a bench guy.
06:16He should not be outscoring their stars.
06:18The Spurs had 16 points in the fourth quarter.
06:21Alvarado had eight points himself.
06:23If you look at the last four minutes, four minutes and 34 seconds left, Ananobi hits a
06:27three.
06:28Fox responds with three.
06:30Then Alvarado gets a bucket.
06:32Wemby gets a bucket.
06:34Alvarado hits a three.
06:36Brunson then hits a three, which brings them within a point.
06:40I mean, it was just an awesome, awesome finish.
06:44I'm sure when you were watching this morning, could you feel the momentum?
06:49Of course.
06:50Absolutely.
06:51But it still could have gone the other way.
06:53That's the crazy thing.
06:54The Spurs are going to, when this series is over, in all likelihood, the Knicks win.
06:58I believe Knicks probably win in game six when it comes back home.
07:02But they've got to be kicking themselves.
07:04They had a 14-point lead in game one in the third quarter.
07:07I can't remember the probability there.
07:09But when you have a 14-point lead, you're at home.
07:13You should handle that game.
07:14All right.
07:16And then, you know, game two, Wemby has the shot at the end.
07:21So they could have won that game.
07:23And then you have this game.
07:25Which game was it when Wemby turned the ball over?
07:27Was that one or two?
07:28That was game two.
07:29Game two, yeah.
07:30He turned it over, but, you know, you still had a chance to win.
07:33Sure.
07:34It was, you know, just kind of watching it.
07:38But, and Legler and Jefferson, who were calling the game, kind of pointed this out.
07:41The fact that they were not trying to get to the line in that fourth quarter blew me away.
07:50It blew me away.
07:52That they weren't trying to attack the rim, like we were talking about, Matt.
07:55That they were settling for low-percentage shots.
08:00And the fact that that continued and continued.
08:03And they scored 30 points in the second half as a team.
08:08A team that wasn't 76 points, the all-time high for a halftime score in the NBA Finals.
08:14Yeah, they had 76 points in the first half.
08:1630 in the second half.
08:19Two completely different teams.
08:21And those last nine minutes, they got outscored 32-11.
08:24I'm looking at the possession by possession.
08:30Why wasn't Dylan Harper shooting?
08:32Dylan Harper is so good.
08:34He's really good.
08:34He's so good.
08:35It's eye-opening how impressive he is.
08:38Just by watching.
08:39And if he gets consistent, he has three-point line, he's going to be absolutely deadly.
08:43He had some bad turnovers, too, in that fourth quarter.
08:45I will say that.
08:48But I agree.
08:49His shooting has been unbelievable.
08:51Kind of throughout the entire pro season.
08:56If the series ended last night, I guess it has to be Brunson is your MVP.
09:04No, I think Anobi is right there.
09:06He does.
09:07He's right there.
09:08Because Brunson hasn't shot particularly well.
09:09And at one point, he had more turnovers than assists.
09:13But he's so clutch in the fourth quarter.
09:15He can go 0 for 30 in the first three quarters.
09:18And in the fourth quarter, he's going to make big shots.
09:21And he did.
09:22Well, that's why I ask it.
09:23Because I want to vote for Ananobi.
09:26But Brunson's numbers are still pretty impressive.
09:28I mean, he's basically averaging 30 a game.
09:30What's he shooting?
09:31About 42%?
09:33No.
09:34Maybe.
09:3539-something.
09:3634 for threes.
09:37I mean, he was good last night.
09:38It's not horrific.
09:38I'm just wondering what his overall numbers are.
09:40Because he shot better yesterday.
09:41He was about 50% yesterday.
09:43Has to have moved up.
09:45But I would agree.
09:46I would lean bigger choke job, obviously, when you blow a 29-point lead.
09:49But, I mean, the Knicks had to make shots.
09:50Ananobi in the finals is averaging 23.8.
09:5555% from threes.
09:56And 58%, obviously, from the field.
09:58Killing it.
09:59Bigger guy.
09:59And he's a better defensive player.
10:01Obviously, he has.
10:02I mean, look, he had the two biggest plays down the stretch.
10:05The block.
10:06Obviously, Brunson made some big shots.
10:08But the block and then the game-winning bucket.
10:10Seven out of nine threes.
10:12It's just, what the Knicks are doing is just absolutely magical.
10:16It's one of those things where you're going to remember this 20 years from now.
10:23And I don't think they're the better team during the regular season.
10:28The Spurs, you know, 62-win team versus a 53-win team.
10:32And I get it's a regular season.
10:34And, like, talent-wise, I kind of like the Spurs more than the Knicks.
10:37But they just.
10:38Sometimes you get hot.
10:39They got something.
10:39They got that mojo.
10:41On your side.
10:42Look, when the Caps won the Stanley Cup, they weren't a highly regarded team.
10:46They weren't picked by anybody to do any damage in the playoffs.
10:50Like, the preseason pundits didn't give them any real credit.
10:54They just got great performances from, obviously, Koozie, Ovi in the playoffs.
10:59And Brayden Holtby played out of this.
11:00I'll say this, JP.
11:01They're not the better roster in terms of talent.
11:04They're the better team.
11:07They play smarter.
11:08They play better as a team.
11:09They're a better coach.
11:10You could say that now.
11:11And I can't argue you.
11:13Except that if Fox pulls it out.
11:15Or has one less turnover.
11:16Or Wemby makes his two free throws.
11:19Or, you know, any one of those instances that happen, they're down.
11:22Or, you know, it's 2-2.
11:24And I think the Spurs are going to win it.
11:26At that point.
11:27They just have to make one more play.
11:29Just make one more play.
11:30I mean, the Knicks, I'm sorry, the Knicks wouldn't have blown a 29-point lead.
11:34Yeah, I think they're used to caught up with them.
11:36And I think they'd experience it, coach.
11:38Yeah.
11:38But the Spurs are going to be a problem for the Western Conference for a long time.
11:42Oh, yeah.
11:42With the trio of Wemby.
11:43Wemby's going to win a ton.
11:44Wemby, Tassel, and Harper.
11:46Of course.
11:47That's a really good young trio.
11:49100%.
11:49That they trot out there.
11:50They'll be competitive, but you just can't assume in the NBA.
11:53Yeah.
11:53Because last year, people were saying the same thing about OKC.
11:57But OKC will be back.
11:58They'll still be in it.
11:59I mean, they could easily be back next year.
12:02Every year, there's a new champion, I think, for the last decade.
12:06And Wemby always, just because of his body type and how he's built,
12:09there's always a risk of serious injury.
12:12So who knows about Wemby?
12:14It's not like he's going to be playing 75 games a year every season.
12:17But to me, way bigger choke job.
12:20Great comeback.
12:21I mean, it's both, but you can't blow that game.
12:25A 29-point lead.
12:26You can't score 30 points in the second half of an NBA Finals game.
12:30That's embarrassing.
12:30You have a 20-point lead with nine minutes left?
12:33Yeah.
12:33Let's do the math, but just use 24 seconds.
12:36Yeah.
12:37You almost would be better off just using 24 seconds and handing the ball.
12:41Yeah.
12:41Than jacking up the threes that they were jacking up?
12:43If you're in the huddle there, you say to your point guard,
12:46you pound the ball until there's five seconds left on the clock.
12:50Every possession.
12:52Yeah.
12:52We're bleeding this clock out, and we're winning this game.
12:55We're going back with this series tied.
12:58And Wemby's got to be better.
13:00You know, people want him to be the best player in the league,
13:02in the face of the league, and they are drawing unbelievable numbers.
13:06So ABC and ESPN, I saw something where it was the highest rated
13:11or most viewers since like 1998.
13:17So they are crushing it because Wemby is a draw.
13:20He's an unbelievable draw.
13:22But is he a consistent, give him the basket and give him the ball,
13:27he's going to get a bucket guy?
13:28He's not.
13:29No, but they've got other guys that can score.
13:32They've got other guys you can do that with.
13:33They've got the Knicks in the finals too, which certainly helps.
13:36If it's Wemby versus the Pacers, I don't think many people are watching.
13:39That definitely helps their numbers.
13:40People want to see Tay-Tay on the court side.
13:44That's why they're watching.
13:45It was the most viewers since Bulls Jazz in 98.
13:49That's when everybody used to watch the finals.
13:51Sure, of course.
13:52Required viewing back in the day.
13:54All right, when we come back, we will get into some of the comments
13:58that Knicks superfan Tracy Morgan had about teachers.
14:02We'll get your feedback on that as well.
14:04We'll play that audio next here on The Fan.