The entire NBA world was left stunned by the New York Knicks’ thrilling Game 4 win, as they erased a 29-point deficit to pull off a stunning comeback and grab a 107-106 victory.
Despite delivering an incredible first-half performance, the San Antonio Spurs failed to capitalize and level the series, prompting NBA legend Charles Barkley to join the chorus of criticism over San Antonio’s shocking collapse.
Charles Barkley Takes Aim at the Spurs After the Game 4 Collapse
The Spurs stormed out to a 41-22 lead after the first quarter, marking the largest first-quarter lead by a road team in NBA Finals history.
San Antonio continued to build that momentum, putting up 76 points to give them a 27-point halftime lead, the largest by a road team in NBA Finals history. They were especially efficient in the opening quarter, shooting 82% on assisted field goals, according to ESPN tracking data.
However, the game flipped dramatically after halftime, as the Spurs scored a total of 30 points, with 16 of them being in the final quarter.
This 46-point drop from their first-half production matched the largest such decline in a playoff game over the past 70 years, per Elias Sports Bureau data.
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That collapse allowed the Knicks to complete one of the most dramatic comebacks in NBA Finals history, and Barkley didn’t mince words on San Antonio’s second-half approach.
“We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization,” Barkley said. “That was some of the most mismanaged, stupid basketball… The San Antonio Spurs helped the New York Knicks win this game by doing some of the stupid a** stuff I’ve ever seen on a basketball court..”
“We saw the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilization. … The San Antonio Spurs helped the New York Knicks win this game.”
Charles Barkley after the Spurs allowed the largest comeback in NBA Finals history 👀 pic.twitter.com/Y7t4UZsVhU
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 11, 2026
Most fans could hardly believe the outcome, considering the Knicks led for just 53.8 seconds in the entire game, the second-shortest time in a Finals game since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976–77.
Their historic comeback effort was led by Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby pouring in 36 and 33 points, respectively.
Anunoby’s game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds left capped off the unbelievable second-half surge for the Knicks.
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After the game, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson did not hide his frustration about the disastrous second half. “To put as much good work into that first half as we did and get the lead that we had and not finish the job, it’s disappointing to say the least.”
The Knicks had not reached the Finals since 1999 but are now on the verge of their first championship since 1973 with Game 5 in San Antonio on Saturday.