How Karl-Anthony Towns saved the Knicks' historic Game 4 comeback with the tip of a finger -- literally

In a Game 4 fourth quarter filled with memorable shots and moments, the actual final play ended up being a footnote in the Knicks' spectacular, historic 29-point comeback win over the Spurs. 

OG Anunoby's star turn in the fourth quarter Wednesday night was punctuated with one of the great two-way sequences in NBA Finals history. Anunoby blocked De'Aaron Fox's ill-fated layup attempt with 12 seconds left to preserve a one-point New York deficit and then raced to the rim for the game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds on the clock, immediately taking his place on the all-time Finals highlight reels. 

However, the reason Anunoby's closing sequence will live forever in Finals and Knicks lore is thanks to the fingertip of Karl-Anthony Towns. 

The Spurs ran a gorgeous out-of-bounds play that got Stephon Castle a free run at the rim as the Knicks focused heavily on Victor Wembanyama. A good inbounds pass would've resulted in a game-winning dunk to erase all the Knicks' hard work, but the pass fell woefully short -- and not because Dylan Harper short-armed it. As the low angle shows clearly, Towns was able to get his fingertips on the ball while guarding the inbound, preventing the pass from reaching Castle and preserving New York's historic victory. 

"I didn't get a clear picture of what messed it up," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said postgame of the play. "It was just a back pick from Victor for Steph. Then Vic was running off, Dylan had it in his vision. Whether it was Steph at the rim or Victor running to get a shot over his right shoulder. Obviously, we didn't get the pass where we wanted to." 

The play worked as designed, but Towns being on the ball and using all of his 7-foot frame and wingspan to disrupt the pass was the difference in preventing San Antonio's guards from creating their own iconic moment. 

That play, with Towns on the ball preventing the lob, stands in stark contrast to what the Spurs did defensively on the Knicks' final inbound. San Antonio opted not to guard Anunoby inbounding the ball with seven seconds on the clock, instead sending two at the ball to try to prevent Jalen Brunson from getting a good look. That worked initially, as Brunson hoisted a deep three over Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox's contest, but because Fox ran over to double, Anunoby had a free run as the inbounder to crash the glass without anyone able to box him out for the game-winning tip-in. 

Knicks fans will replay the final few minutes of Game 4 for decades, trying to relive every moment -- while Spurs fans will try desperately to forget it. Brunson's shot-making and Anunoby's block and tip-in will get top billing, and understandably so, but Towns' defensive contribution on the final play, perhaps fitting for his whole playoff run, will fly a bit more under the radar while being critical to the Knicks' win.