Hall of Famer Magic Johnson watched what happened in Game 4 and shared his thoughts on how the series will end. The dramatic finish drew a reaction from Magic Johnson.

The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 in Game 4. They erased a 29-point deficit, marking the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. Despite witnessing one of the biggest comebacks ever, his post-game praise and a bold prediction. 

“I think the Spurs have another win in them, and the Series will stretch out to 6 or 7 games, but I still see the Knicks winning it all.”

Johnson believes San Antonio still has quality to avoid ending the series in Game 5. The Spurs already proved they can respond under pressure with their Game 3 win. Returning home for Game 5 gives them a chance to extend the Finals. 

However, Johnson still favors New York because of their ability to execute late in games. “We just watched the Knicks make the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history! The first and second half were two completely different stories — the Spurs dominated in the first half and Knicks stormed back in the second.”

New York recovered from being 29 points down. This massive deficit had never been overcome in Finals history. San Antonio controlled the opening half. They scored 76 points. New York then responded right after halftime and built their comeback. 

Then he added, “Jalen Brunson put the team on his back with his 36-point performance, but OG Anunoby was the true hero tonight, finishing with 33 points AND the game-winning tip in! De’Aaron Fox made a huge mistake when he got the ball with seconds left in the fourth and decided to go for a layup instead of dribbling the ball out to be fouled.”

Jalen Brunson kept New York alive during difficult stretches through his clutch scoring. Johnson then highlighted why OG Anunoby was the true hero of the night. Anunoby delivered a final sequence that ended with a game-winning tip-in with around 1.2 seconds left on the clock.

During this late-game moment, De'Aaron Fox chose to attack instead of extending the possession. Anunoby blocked the play, and New York gained one final opportunity.

Johnson expects more intense basketball to be played, but the result seems clear in his eyes. He believes San Antonio can still win another game, but not 3 straight.

Why does Magic Johnson see San Antonio extending the series? 

Despite falling behind 3-1, San Antonio has shown enough quality throughout the Finals to suggest the series may not end in the next game. They already answered pressure once by winning Game 3. 

They have also stayed competitive in stretches, even during their losses. Game 5 returning to San Antonio is a factor behind Johnson expecting at least one more Spurs win.

Victor Wembanyama has maintained an impact throughout the series. The arrival of Fox added much-needed playmaking, even though Game 4 ended with his costly late decision. 

The biggest issue for San Antonio is finishing games and maintaining second-half control. Their adjustments now become much more important than their raw ability.

On the other side, New York has shown resilience during this playoff run. Brunson is averaging around 29.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5 assists in the Finals. Anunoby is adding around 23.8 points. 

New York is now just one win away from their first NBA championship since 1973. Game 4 may become remembered as the turning point of the Finals. However, if the prediction from Johnson proves right, San Antonio still has one more response before New York can celebrate.

Will the young San Antonio roster push the series to Game 6, or will New York finally end their title drought? 

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi