The result marked the largest comeback ever recorded in an NBA Finals game and gave New York a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. The loss leaves San Antonio needing three consecutive victories to capture the championship. While Game 5 will be played in San Antonio on Saturday, the Knicks have already guaranteed that, at minimum, the series will return to Madison Square Garden for a potential Game 6.

Following the heartbreaking defeat, Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama addressed the team’s mindset moving forward. “What’s going through my mind right now? I think it’s going to go one of two ways. A bad one and a good one. The bad one would be giving up. The good one would be getting stronger through this, getting more together. I know this is what we’re going to do.”

What did Victor Wembanyama say after the Spurs’ Game 4 loss?

Victor Wembanyama’s comments reflected a player determined not to let one painful defeat define the series. However, the young star was also honest when discussing how the Spurs allowed such a massive lead to disappear.

When asked about the collapse in the second half, Wemby did not hide his frustration. “I think it began before that. I can’t really explain it right now. I think it’s just execution, greediness. We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half.”

Whether the Spurs can recover from one of the most painful losses in franchise history will be determined in Game 5, with their championship hopes hanging by a thread.

In NBA playoff history, teams that trail 3-1 in a series have a very hard time coming back. If San Antonio manages to overcome its 3-1 deficit against New York, it will accomplish what only LeBron and Cleveland could. As for 3-0 deficits, no team has ever overcome such a disadvantage in Finals history. Not only that, no team has ever come back from down 3-0 in any playoff series.

If Victor Wembanyama achieves such a milestone in only his third year in the league, comparisons to LeBron will be off to a great start. Needless to say, no other team aside from the Cavs has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals.

Those who came close to 3-1 comebacks in NBA Finals

Throughout league history, 23 teams managed to extend the series to seven games after falling behind 3-1. Only LeBron and Cleveland were able to come away with a win in Game 7.

For instance, the Knicks forced a Game 7 after falling behind 3-0 against the Rochester Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) in the 1951 NBA Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers also forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-1 against the Boston Celtics in the 1966 NBA Finals. However, neither team could complete the comeback.

It felt impossible until LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and company rallied from a 3-1 deficit against Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and the Golden State Warriors in 2016. The odds of such a comeback ever happening again are low, but if there’s someone who could pull it off, it might be ‘Wemby’ and the Spurs.

Almost made NBA history

Had San Antonio not blown a 29-point lead in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals, the Knicks and Spurs would have found themselves on the wrong side of an unprecedented mark in league history. Never before had both NBA finalists lost their first two home games of the series.

Home court could have been considered a disadvantage, but New York rallied from an improbable deficit to put itself one win away from its first championship since 1973.

Last sweep in NBA Finals

Just as they were responsible for the most remarkable and memorable comeback in NBA Finals history, LeBron James and the Cavaliers were also involved the last time a team was swept in the championship round. The Warriors played a role in that one as well.

The last sweep in the NBA Finals was in 2018, when Golden State blew Cleveland out of the water in four games en route to the Warriors’ sixth NBA championship. Throughout league history, a total of nine NBA Finals have ended in a four-game sweep.

The last time a Western Conference team was swept in the NBA Finals was in 1989, when the Los Angeles Lakers fell at the hands of the Detroit Pistons. Since, four Eastern Conference sides have been in the losing end of sweeps, including the Cavs being swept twice.

Wu-Tang Clan will be in charge of keeping fans on their seats during the intermission in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals. Thus, in addition to the local celebrities regularly spotted courtside and in suites at Madison Square Garden, the hip-hop collective from Staten Island will also be representing the hometown Knicks.

New York is vying to win its first NBA championship since 1973, and with San Antonio pushing back on the road, it’s clear the Knickerbockers need all the help they can muster. Three decades after the release of the iconic album, ‘Enter the Wu-Tang’ once again takes center stage. In Game 4, the group formed by RZA, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon the Chef, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna will have the spotlight fixed upon them at halftime.

How long is halftime in NBA Finals?

Although NBA rules state, “Fifteen minutes will be permitted between halves of all games,” that limit is sometimes exceeded during the Finals. Because of broadcast segments, player and coach interviews, ads, and halftime shows, it is not too rare for the intermission between the second and third quarters to extend a bit longer and range from 17 to 20 minutes.

Considering just how many New York anthems Wu-Tang Clan has in its discography, halftime of Game 4 may last even longer. Still, officially, halftime lasts 15 minutes, and that is the benchmark the league aims for.

Celebrities in attendance at MSG for Game 4

Coming off a star-studded turnout in Game 3, which included President Donald Trump, New York City mayor Xohran Mamdani, Jay-Z, Spike Lee, Eli Manning, Derek Jeter, Mariska Hargitay, Larry Dacid and many more, Game 4 between the Knicks and Spurs will be no different.

Taylor Swift is attending Madison Square Garden, though without fiancé Travis Kelce. That’s in addition to Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, and Ben Stiller, who have become regulars at MSG.

Moreover, a large party of New York Giants, including Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston, and Cam Skattebo were also spotted making their way into the “World’s Most Famous Arena”. Hailey Bieber, Tate McRae, Aaron Judge, Carmelo Anthony, and Nas are other household names making an appearance in New York City for the high-stakes showdown. The VIP list, however, is a lot longer.

Previous halftime show

Game 3 didn’t end how Knicks fans expected, but they were still in for a treat. The halftime show was also headlined by a fellow New Yorker, as Cardi B (born in the Bronx) took center stage. Now, it’s time for Wu-Tang Clan.

Though New York hopes the series won’t go that far, the Knicks are guaranteed to be back at Madison Square Garden for Game 6 if they lose either Game 4 or Game 5. Thus, fans who make their way to the arena above Penn Station can expect another top-notch artist to perform at halftime.

“[Swift is] a huge fan of the Knicks and really wants to be there to support them. She is going with friends,” as reported by Page Six. Whether Kelce is included in the friend group or not, that’s unclear. Perhaps, if Kelce were to join her, the source would’ve noted it. The fact there is no mention of Kelce suggests he won’t be in New York.

Most signs suggest Kelce isn’t making the trip to the Big Apple to catch Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs. First, he is currently participating in the Kansas City Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp back in Missouri. Second, the Cleveland Heights native may still not be over his Cavaliers’ 4-0 defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Kelce is staying loyal to both his NFL organization and the basketball team he grew up rooting for. Most likely, Swift won’t be joined by Kelce at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” Still, there will be no shortage of celebrities in attendance. In addition to Swift, MSG regulars Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Mariska Hargitay, and many others may also be sitting courtside during Game 4.

Is Taylor Swift a Knicks fan?

Born in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift grew up somewhat close to New York City and well within Knicks territory. Over the years, she has repped the orange and blue countless times and has attended games at Madison Square Garden.

Most notably, Swift and Kelce sat courtside at Rocket Arena during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, when the soon-to-be-married couple’s childhood teams—the Knicks and Cavaliers, respectively—met. Ultimately, Swift had the last laugh as New York swept Cleveland en route to the organization’s first Finals appearance since 1999.

MSG will host Swift and Kelce’s wedding

Swift may have also gotten her wish regarding the wedding venue. According to reports, Swift and Kelce will get married on July 3 at Madison Square Garden. Thus, as she watches the Knickerbockers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Swift may also have time to analyze the venue and make any last-minute adjustments.

As for Kelce, he’s busy gearing up for the 2026 NFL season. While his fiancée enjoys a night out in the City That Never Sleeps, he’ll remain in the City of Fountains working on his craft.

In a recent declaration, he made it more than clear that the Thunder are about to play just as aggressively as they did in 2026, when they reached deep into the postseason and pushed the San Antonio Spurs to a Game 7 during the conference playoffs. That is something all other teams should pay attention to.

“Our goal is to repeat a process, not chase an outcome. This process is to position our team and our organization so that if we are fortunate enough to have things break our way, we can achieve ultimate success. This is how every NBA champion is able to achieve success,” Presti said.

A strong season for the Thunder

Two straight years with 60+ wins for the Thunder is exactly what Presti wants to see continue. Since the 2012-13 season, they haven’t won that many games. In the words of the General Manager, his franchise is more than ready to get back to work and replicate the results of the last two seasons.

Presti’s confidence in what the Thunder have to offer is a clear wake-up call for rivals who might think the team is shaken after being unable to defend their NBA title in 2026. In his presser, he noted that great teams not only have stamina, but the endurance to sustain success over time.

The 2026 season was quite special for Presti and his organization. Not only did they enter the year as defending champions, but it marked their third straight appearance in the postseason. Following a playoff drought from 2020-21 to the 2022-23 season, this current run signals just how prepared the team truly is.

Trump was once a courtside regular at Knicks games at Madison Square Garden. However, he has largely put that fandom aside since entering national politics. In fact, a Trump hasn’t attended a Knicks game at MSG in more than a decade. Fans in attendance for Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals will witness an exceptionally rare Trump sighting.

According to reporter Evan Sidery, the last time Trump attended a Knicks game at the “World’s Most Famous Arena” was on December 4, 2014, when the Cleveland Cavaliers were in town for a regular-season matchup. When the Knicks take on the Spurs in Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals, Trump will be back at MSG for an NBA fame for the first time in 12 years.

Trump’s appearance will make NBA history

With his presence during Game 3, Trump will set a precedent. Trump, who was born in Queens and grew up in New York City, will become the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals showdown.

As reported by the NBA at the time, Barack Obama was the last president to attend a game, as he sat courtside during Game 2 of the 2019 NBA Finals between the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors.

However, Obama attended that game after leaving office, and it took place at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. Another notable difference is that Trump has opted against sitting courtside and will instead watch from a suite, according to Shams Charania.

Knicks’ final score last time Trump attended a game

The last time Trump was in attendance to watch the Knicks, New York fell 90-87 to Cleveland, led by the likes of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. According to The Sporting News, the last time Trump was in attendance for a Knicks victory was March 26, 2012. More than 14 years later, he hopes to bring good luck as New York looks to close out the series quickly and capture its third NBA championship in franchise history.

With the Spurs down 0-2 in the NBA Finals, Harper and his teammates want to show they can play hard on the road. “Desperation. I think for me, I feel like I’m at my best when I play with that type of desperation, and I think that’s what’s kind of needed for this occasion,” he stated.

Harper is more than ready for the ultimate sacrifice in a pivotal Game 3, because if the Knicks win, it could spell the end for San Antonio. “I feel like I’m going to go out there and no matter what the circumstances, if I’m not playing with that type of fire or grit, I’m doing a disservice to everyone.”

Harper, Spurs on the Same Page

At least Harper isn’t alone in his mindset. After Gregg Popovich told the team to focus on Game 3 and leave everything else behind, it is highly probable that the Spurs will take a different approach playing in New York. After all, they lost the first two games by a close margin.

Harper, playing at guard, has done a solid job, averaging 5.0 points against the Knicks in the NBA Finals. While he could do a little more, his 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game stay in line with his season averages, and he has historically performed much better on the road.

The Spurs’ strategy shouldn’t change that much when playing at Madison Square Garden (MSG); they just need to avoid turnovers to prevent a collapse like in Game 2. Their road series against the Oklahoma City Thunder showcased the total focus they possess during a tight series, which they ultimately took in seven games.

According to Castle, what Popovich asked the team was to leave the 0-2 hole out of their minds. “We talked to Pop before we flew down here. And pretty much his message was just let the last two games go.” And just like that, they listened to him. “It happened,” he stated.

The Spurs are now down in the series, but they still have plenty of time to tie it up and return home at 2-2. And for the history books, they won the conference finals nearly that way against the Oklahoma City Thunder by winning key games on the road.

Castle admits Popovich’s message is already working

Game 3 is a must-win game for them, and mentally, Castle and his teammates have already adopted Popovich’s message. While he admitted there is some regret after losing two games that, according to him, were quite winnable, they won’t let those two losses make them worry.

“You know they were very winnable games. And yeah we feel like we gave them those games. But we got to let those go and focus on the next one. We feel like the next game is the most important game of the series, so try and come into that and win it,” Castle said.

It isn’t impossible for the Spurs to climb out of a 0-2 hole; other teams in the 21st century have already done it. The Cavaliers started 0-2 against the Warriors, fell even further to 1-3, and somehow won the title in 2016. The most recent example was the Milwaukee Bucks when they started 0-2 against the Suns back in 2021.

With the Knicks fighting for a championship, Hart didn’t hold back when discussing the secondary ticket market. “I wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are,“ Hart said. “A lot of people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time unfortunately aren’t able to get into the building. $7K, $8K is ridiculous.”

While his comments resonate deeply with the fanbase, the staggering prices haven’t stopped the arenas from packing out. The first two games of the series in San Antonio were completely sold out, drawing raucous crowds of 18,835 for Game 1 and 19,014 for Game 2.

What is the capacity of Madison Square Garden?

For basketball, Madison Square Garden features an official capacity of 19,812. It is a mathematical certainty that the building will be filled to the brim. Though Hart’s concerns about the average fan are entirely valid, the Knicks will have no shortage of loud, high-energy support on their home floor.

According to a striking report from The Kobeissi Letter alongside leading ticket marketplaces, NBA Finals Game 3 will be expensive. The absolute cheapest get-in price has soared to a staggering $10,622 per seat. To be clear, that five-figure sum won’t get you anywhere near the hardwood or the VIP courtside rows.

This isn’t the first time the biggest stage in basketball has commanded astronomical sums, but New York hits a bit different. In a city where many residents can barely afford rent, dropping thousands of dollars on a few hours of basketball simply isn’t feasible for the average fan.

According to NBA insider Jake Weinbach, if the Celtics ultimately decide to explore the trade market for Brown, the Houston Rockets are poised to assemble a massive blockbuster package to acquire him for the 2026-27 season.

“If the Celtics are open to trading Jaylen Brown, the Rockets can present an appealing package around Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and first-round draft compensation,“ Weinbach reported via his X account.

With the Rockets established as an aggressive suitor for Brown, the ball remains entirely in Boston’s court. Houston, however, is not expected to be the only franchise aggressively working the phones to strike a deal for the explosive wing if he becomes available.

What to expect from the Celtics?

To understand why Boston holds all the leverage, it is critical to break down Brown’s current status. While both Brown and Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens have publicly downplayed the trade chatter, a potential parting of ways remains a distinct financial possibility due to the league’s strict economic landscape.

Brown is currently playing under a massive five-year supermax extension worth roughly $285 million. With Jayson Tatum also commanding a historic supermax contract of his own, committing to both superstar wings long-term forces the Celtics deep into the NBA’s punishing “second apron” luxury tax territory.

Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) rules, this designation severely restricts the front office from signing impact depth pieces, utilizing mid-level exceptions, or aggregating salaries in trades, threatening to freeze their ability to build a competent championship roster around their stars.

Other reasons to consider that Brown could leave the Celtics

Beyond the financial constraints, Brown’s recent postseason performance has raised questions after he failed to consistently meet expectations. He struggled to impact winning in the manner the front office and fan base anticipated, though a singular playoff slump is a vulnerability faced by many stars and wouldn’t completely tank his value on its own.

However, a more explosive factor has surfaced via reports from The Athletic, which suggest that the Celtics could be monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation for next season. With a luxury tax bill already suffocating their roster flexibility, sacrificed salary would be an absolute necessity, making a Brown departure the clear pathway if ‘The Greek Freak’ somehow targets Boston.

However, having top-tier talent around him also makes him fear they could be poached by other organizations looking to upgrade their coaching staffs. “I’m scared to death one of these teams is going to poach my guys. I’m surprised nobody has come at Chris Jent for a head job yet. He’s won Summer League and he’s a lead assistant here,” Brown stated.

Another assistant causing major worry for Brown is Jordan Brink, whom he tagged as “fantastic.” Over the last two years, Brink has been a key asset for the Knicks. Brown’s fears are more than real; if another NBA franchise offers either of them the right position and salary, it could signal the end of their time in New York.

Depth on the Bench

Fortunately, if Brink or Jent do decide to leave, Brown still has plenty of talent ready to replace them. While a typical NBA team has around six or more assistant coaches to support the staff, the Knicks boast a wide variety of options.

One name that could easily step into a larger role under Brown is Darren Erman, who brings league experience dating back to 2007. Another standout on the bench is veteran Maurice Cheeks, who has been working in assistant coaching departments since 1994. Cheeks joined the Knicks’ staff in 2024 and remains a prime candidate to step up if needed.

Right now, the Knicks carry a total of 13 assistant coaches on their roster. As the team with the most assistants in the league, four more than the Spurs squad they are currently battling for the championship ring, that massive support system is likely a major reason they reached the NBA Finals in the first place.