Tyler Rourke
Wednesday night’s Game 4 of the NBA Finals featured a historic comeback by the New York Knicks. Down 27 at halftime, it looked like the San Antonio Spurs were on their way to evening the series at two games apiece.
Everything was going right for San Antonio. Their guards were getting downhill, their wings were hitting outside shots, and Victor Wembanyama was getting paint touches whenever he wanted. This game looked like it was over at halftime. But the Knicks did the impossible, and the Spurs were victims of the largest comeback in Finals history.
Now that these two teams have faced each other four consecutive times, they are more equipped to stop each other. This makes game plans and strategies different for each upcoming game. After Wednesday night’s game, some things were apparent. Let’s take a look at four of the biggest takeaways from Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
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Jalen Brunson Needs Paint Touches
There was a reason the Knicks were down so big at halftime. Jalen Brunson is the hub of New York’s team. When he can’t get to his spots on offense, things slow down for New York. He loves to drive the ball to his left, after all, he is a lefty, and he loves getting in the paint and playing off two feet. This usually leads to a crafty layup from Brunson, him getting fouled, or an open jump shot. One of the biggest strengths the Knicks have is that all five of their starters are capable of knocking down an open three-pointer.
The one player who isn’t? Mitchell Robinson. Early in the game, Karl-Anthony Towns picked up two quick fouls, meaning Robinson was going to have to play for an extended period of time in the first half. Robinson poses no threat as an outside shooter and is even the record holder for worst playoff free-throw percentage at 37%. The Knicks absolutely can play with him on the perimeter like they tried to, but San Antonio will never think about guarding him there. This lets Wembanyama roam the paint, which is something he loves to do. This is why Towns is crucial to New York’s offense, even if he isn’t putting up large scoring numbers. Wembanyama has to respect him as a shooter.
Sure, New York’s offense can compete when Brunson is playing out of the pick-and-roll, but it is much more effective in isolation, especially when he drives to the basket. The Knicks as a team these playoffs have shot 39% from three when the closest defender is 4-6 feet away, the best of any playoff team, and 42.3% when the closest defender is 6+ feet away, second best of any playoff team. The key to New York’s offense starts with Brunson getting to the paint and making a decision from there. New York thrives when he passes it out to the perimeter, and they keep the ball hot.
The Wings Are the X-Factors
Game 4 was, of course, capped by OG Anunoby’s incredible tip-in game-winner, but that doesn’t tell the full story. Anunoby has been great for the Knicks all playoffs long, averaging 20.7 points per game this postseason. Everybody knows how good he has been, the perfect 3-and-D wing every championship team needs. What people aren’t focusing on is the other wings for each team.
Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Mikal Bridges, and Landry Shamet have all played crucial roles in the Finals. For starters, the Spurs jumped out to an early lead in Game 4. Vassell had four three-pointers in the first half and was lights-out from beyond the arc. The same can be said about Champagnie. While he didn’t have the best Game 4, he has been their most reliable outside shooter during these playoffs. He is shooting 41% on all jumpshots 20-24 feet away from the basket, and 38.1% on all jumpshots 25-29 feet away from the basket. For context, the three-point line is 23 feet and 9 inches away from the basket.
The Spurs wings have generally been great. Bridges, on the other hand, has found himself in a tough situation. Mikal Bridges is a great complementary piece for the Knicks, but right now, he seems like an in-betweener. On offense, he isn’t quick enough to create his own shot and isn’t strong enough to back down his defender. Stephon Castle has made his life very difficult these playoffs. Bridges finished Game 4 with seven points on 3-of-9 shooting. Hence why Landry Shamet has seen increased minutes, and Jose Alvarado closed out most of Wednesday night’s game. Both of these teams rely on their wings to fill their role properly.
Setting the Tone Physically
Another reason the Spurs jumped to such an early lead in Game 4 was the tone they set physically. Stephon Castle, Dyaln Harper, and De’Aaron Fox are all quick guards who can make life miserable for their opponents, and that’s what they did in the first half. Whether it was on offense or defense, the Spurs were always the ones to initiate contact.
After a made basket, they would apply full-court pressure. On their drives, they played through contact. They boxed out their opponents before looking to rebound. This was a huge advantage for San Antonio. They knew they could be physical with Brunson because of his stature, and knew they were more athletic to play through it. Guys like Carter Bryant and Keldon Johnson are perfect for San Antonio to utilize as enforcers. They can play in quick spurts and drain the energy of the Knicks.
New York eventually figured it out, though. As mentioned, things opened up when Towns was available in the second half. Josh Hart could play in transition, Anunoby could attack closeouts, and Brunson could get to the paint. The Knicks began playing to their strengths and absorbing contact from the Spurs. Every San Antonio player who checked in committed at least one personal foul. Whether they turned it down a notch physically, or New York figured them out, it was certainly something to take note of.
This Series Is Not Over
While it may be hard to imagine a world where the Spurs come back down 3-1, it is very well possible. Despite them being the second-youngest team in NBA Finals history, each of these games has been decided by 10 points or fewer.
As a matter of fact, the first quarter of each game has ended with the Spurs leading by 8 or more points, despite them being down 3-1. Whether that is because of San Antonio’s lack of playoff experience or New York’s performance under pressure, San Antonio has quite the hole to dig themselves out of.
That doesn’t mean it is impossible. To go up by 27 in the NBA Finals means one thing: you are a good basketball team. But what does it mean to blow that lead? You (the Spurs) are still learning. San Antonio is an extremely young team with almost no playoff experience outside of Harrison Barnes, who was a DNP the past two games. As time goes on, the Spurs will adjust to the playoffs. They have looked convincingly good in every one of these games, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are down 3-1. While they still have a chance at making history, they have to do it fast. They have proved they can battle with the best; now it is just about finishing the game.
Related: NY Knicks Player Reactions to Historic Game 4 Win Shows Why They Are a Team of Destiny
