Knicks' Comeback Ability Is Not Just a New Development

This New York Knicks group has proven to never be out of any game

New York isn't new to these kind of performances. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Despite the Garden faith being loud throughout and plenty of optimists out there, the New York Knicks players were the only people on earth who truly believed they were coming back to win Game 4. They trailed by 27-points at halftime and were still behind by 20 with a shade over nine minutes left to play.

The greatest comeback in NBA Finals history needed to happen. One reason why faith should've never wavered was best said back in December by Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra.

"What you have to respect about the Knicks, you have to put them away every single possession. You can't leave anything to effing chance with that team ever,” the Hall of Fame bound coach said after a 132-125 comeback win by the Knicks. “That's what they do. What they have is a will to win, all right.”

These Knicks have long been comeback kids

The Knicks trailed that game by double digits in the second quarter. Last March in Miami, the Knicks trailed by 17 at halftime and came all the way back for a 116-112 overtime victory. This is what the Knicks do and have done long before Mike Brown took over the reins.

Last spring, Tom Thibodeau's mostly similar cast of characters won five road playoff games in which they trailed during the fourth quarter, including digging out of three 20-points holes. That relentlessness made them the first team to pull that off in a postseason dating back to at least 1996-97.

The Knicks are now 5-3 when falling behind by 20+ points over the last two postseasons. The rest of the NBA is a combined 4-71. Teams down 20 points or more in the 4th quarter in the playoffs were 4-750 all-time, they’re now 5-750 and the Knicks own two of those wins across the last three weeks alone.

Mathematic probability means nothing to this group

In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland, the Knicks put on display their Houdini-like ability. With 7:52 left, the Cavaliers held a 22-point lead and appeared ready to flip the series on its head. They found out the hard way that no lead is safe against this group and the Spurs are just the latest victim.

San Antonio has held double digit leads in every game of the Finals and the lead in all four games with under two minutes left. While the young group seemingly can't close, this adult-filled Knicks team has a nose for the finish line.

The 27-point halftime hole was the largest seen by a home team in Finals history, excluding the bubble where there was no true home-court advantage. In the 21 previous times in the Finals a team trailed by 20+ points at halftime, they all ended up losing the game by double digits, according to Lev Akabas of Sportico.

The previous largest comeback in NBA Finals History belonged to the Boston Celtics, when they overcame a 24-point deficit to beat the Lakers in Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals. These Knicks are built for this so it's fitting that they added this to their resume amid this historic playoff run.

It's ironic because for the majority of two decades, all the Knicks did was find ways to lose. From the 2001-02 season through 2019-20, New York had a 595-931 record, which marked the lowest winning percentage of any team in the NBA across that span. They lost more games over the first twenty years of the 21st century than any other franchise.

Since the Jalen Brunson era began four years ago, the Knicks have a regular season record of 201-127, good for a winning percentage of 61%. They have made the playoffs every year, including winning at least a round each time and now being on the doorstep of becoming champions.

The Knicks are just one more win away from immortality

I don't think the front office gets enough credit in regards to valuing character when putting this team together brick by brick. It wasn't long ago when Knicks players were constantly in stories for reasons outside of basketball. These are all good dudes who care about their craft and play to win every single night.

The never say die attitude comes from that character that runs up and down the roster. No game is over in the 24 second shot clock era and no team is scarier when trailing then these never quit Knicks.