NBA Finals: OG Anunoby's Clutch Tap-In Brings Championship Within Reach for Knicks: "We're Focused on the Next Game"

OG Anunoby spoke after scoring the game-winning basket in the New York Knicks' victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. His tap-in with 1.2 seconds remaining capped off a historic comeback at Madison Square Garden and put the Knicks one win away from the title. True to his composed style, Anunoby discussed confidence, offensive rebounding, resilience, and the need to correct mistakes before Game 5.

Q. OG, you just hit the game-winner in an NBA Finals game in front of your home crowd. How does that feel?

OG ANUNOBY: It feels good. I mean, everybody's pretty excited. I'm excited too. [Laughs].

I'm excited too. We're all excited. We're enjoying it right now. But we're already focused on the next game.

Q. Congratulations on tonight's win. Coach Mike Brown said you made the most iconic shot in Knicks basketball history, and he also said he challenged you right before this game. How was that motivational talk with you before this specific Game 4?

OG ANUNOBY: He told me I had to go to the glass, to the offensive glass especially, and just use my ability, my size, my strength, my athleticism, to impact the offensive rebound, and it happened at the end.

Q. You guys have come back from double-digit deficits I don't know how many times between last year and this year. Mike said today at halftime he didn't show any video. For you, what goes through your head when you're down 29 in the first half and then halftime comes, that moment? Are you a vocal guy? Did you speak to the team at halftime to spark a comeback or what's your approach in that locker room moment?

OG ANUNOBY: I'd just say something like: "We're good. Keep going, we're good".

We know it's a game of runs. We're a resilient group. We've been through a lot. We've come back many times when we were down. Just keep going, weather the storm, don't get too down or too angry or frustrated. Stay there, cut it to 18, cut it to 6, push to the end. It's a 48-minute game, you just have to play until the end.

Q. You held them to 30 points in the second half after they were making everything in the first half. What changed between the first and second half to be able to clamp down on them like that?

OG ANUNOBY: Probably our contested shots were better. Just 1% better. Just a little better. Get out quicker and make sure every shot is contested, and then close out possessions with rebounds, get out running, move the ball, take good shots, shoot open shots, don't hesitate.

Q. Just for Games 3 and 4, there were moments where the crowd was in shock seeing you down so much. What was it like experiencing that shift from hearing a pin drop to not being able to hear your teammates during a crazy comeback?

OG ANUNOBY: It's incredible. We have the best fans in the world. They show up every night. You've seen the videos of fans in the streets and all that. It's incredible.

We all feel it. We all feed off it. The energy is incredible and we love our fans so much.

Q. Can you walk us through the tap-in itself, from the moment Jalen shoots it, where you are, how you see it develop and everything from there?

OG ANUNOBY: I kicked the ball out to Jalen. He got a pretty good look and I just went to crash the glass. I tried to throw down a dunk off the glass or something. The ball went over my head, so I really couldn't flush it. Then I tried to tap it softly and it went in.

Q. What's the mentality now heading into Game 5?

OG ANUNOBY: Just, I mean, watch the film. Look at what we did to get down 29 and try to prevent that from happening again. Clean some things up, because I know we didn't play as well as we can play, correct some things and just prepare for Game 5.

Q. Did you see a lane to attack when Jalen shot it? How do you know where you want to go?

OG ANUNOBY: Oh yeah, when the shot went up. I was open. Nobody was closing me out on the rebound. So I just went there to try to throw down a dunk off the glass and ended up just tapping it in.

Q. You've been through so many deficits as a team, so many comebacks. How much do you lean on that experience and that history during moments like this?

OG ANUNOBY: When you do it once, you know you can do it again. You never want to be down, but that's how it goes.

It's a game of runs. They had their run early, but we knew we had a run to go on too. So it's just about staying there, not getting too down or falling too low in the moment. Keep going, keep pushing, have confidence and believe in ourselves, knowing it's a 48-minute game and you have to play until the end.

Q. How do you stay so stoic after hitting some of the biggest plays of your career?

OG ANUNOBY: Just the game wasn't over. I looked up to see the time. If it had been 0:00, I would've been more excited, but there was 1.2 seconds left. So it was knowing: now you have to get a stop, stay there, remain present, don't get too happy because the game still wasn't over.

Q. I think after that tap-in, KAT gave you a huge hug, Josh right there gave you a huge hug and said you saved him from a lifetime of regret. What does that mean to you and your teammates to make a big play like that?

OG ANUNOBY: It's pretty cool, but we're a team, a brotherhood, you know, we have each other's backs. That's how it goes sometimes. We'd all do the same for each other.