'Right hand from God': One play, 4.5 seconds and a place in New York Knicks lore

A single play, lasting just 4.5 seconds, may have decided a 53-year championship wait for the New York Knicks. OG Anunoby's tip-in off a missed shot by Jalen Brunson with just 0.5 seconds remaining secured a dramatic 106-105 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, giving the Knicks a commanding 3-1 series lead.

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I just went and crashed. Tried to get a tip-dunk or something. The ball went over my head, so I couldn't really dunk it. So, I tried to tip it in softly.

The pivotal moment came after Knicks forward Josh Hart blamed himself for a missed assignment that allowed the Spurs to take a one-point lead. With 5.7 seconds left, the Knicks called a timeout. Jalen Brunson caught the inbound pass and took one dribble before launching a 31-foot shot over the outstretched arm of Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama. The shot missed, hitting the rim, but Anunoby, unnoticed by the Spurs defense, sprinted into the lane. He leaped and tipped the ball with his right hand, a play described as "Right hand from God" by teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, sending the ball over the rim and into the net.

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Right hand from God

"I just went and crashed," Anunoby said. "Tried to get a tip-dunk or something. The ball went over my head, so I couldn't really dunk it. So, I tried to tip it in softly." The Garden erupted as announcer Mike Breen exclaimed, "Bedlam here at the Garden! They can't believe it!" The victory not only put the Knicks on the brink of their first NBA championship since 1973 but also provided a moment of redemption for Hart, who had missed a go-ahead layup earlier in the game. "I've got a special shoutout for OG, man," Hart said. "He saved me, at least for this game."

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Bedlam here at the Garden! They can't believe it!