The San Antonio Spurs suffered a loss that could have broken the series open for good, but their Game 5 outlook is not as bleak as the Game 4 ending made it feel.
San Antonio is listed as a 5.5-point favorite for Game 5 against the New York Knicks by ESPN/DraftKings. That is a notable signal after the Spurs blew a 29-point lead, lost 107-106 and fell behind 3-1 in the NBA Finals.
The loss was historic for the wrong reason. The Guardian reported that New York completed the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, rallying from 29 points down to move within one win of its first championship since 1973. OG Anunoby’s late tip-in completed the comeback, while Jalen Brunson scored 36 points and Anunoby finished with 33.
But the Game 5 line gives San Antonio a reason to believe the series still has life. The Spurs are returning home, they have already shown they can beat the Knicks in this matchup, and they led Game 4 by nearly 30 before everything unraveled.
Spurs Are Still Being Treated Like a Serious Game 5 Threat
A team down 3-1 after a historic collapse usually has to fight the feeling that the series is already over. The Spurs now have to do that emotionally, but the listed Game 5 odds suggest the matchup itself still favors them in important ways.
That makes sense when looking beyond the final score.
San Antonio did not trail throughout Game 4 and lose because it was outclassed. The Spurs dominated the first half. San Antonio scored 76 points before halftime and made 14 three-pointers in the first half before the Knicks’ rally changed the game.
That is the reassuring part for the Spurs. They do not have to invent a new formula before Game 5. They have to sustain the formula they already showed for long stretches: pace, spacing, Wembanyama’s pressure on both ends and enough perimeter shooting to force New York into scramble mode.
The painful part is that Game 4 also showed exactly what cannot happen again. San Antonio’s offense stalled, late-game decision-making became shaky, and the Knicks’ pressure turned a commanding Spurs lead into one of the most damaging losses in franchise history.
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to shoot the ball against Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama Gives San Antonio a Path Back Into the Series
The Spurs’ best reason for confidence is still Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama was not dominant enough late in Game 4 to prevent the collapse, but he remains the player most capable of changing the series in one night. The Guardian reported that he had 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in Game 4.
San Antonio also has a recent blueprint for how he can control the matchup. ESPN’s Game 3 recap credited Wembanyama with 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Spurs’ 115-111 win at Madison Square Garden, a victory that cut New York’s series lead to 2-1 at the time.
That matters because Game 5 is not just about recovering from a bad fourth quarter. It is about whether San Antonio can get the series back to the version it had in Game 3 and for most of Game 4.
If Wembanyama forces double teams early, gets to the rim with purpose and protects the paint without fouling, the Spurs can make the Knicks play under pressure. If San Antonio’s guards handle New York’s late-game physicality better than they did in Game 4, the Spurs can turn the conversation from collapse to response very quickly.
Game 5 Is About Poise, Not Talent
The Spurs do not need anyone to tell them they are talented enough. They just led an NBA Finals game by 29 points and are still favored at home despite being one loss from elimination.
The question is whether they are composed enough.
New York now has the emotional edge. The Knicks survived a game they had no business winning, and they can clinch the championship on San Antonio’s floor. Brunson has repeatedly given New York late-game structure, and Anunoby’s Game 4 performance added another problem for the Spurs to solve.
San Antonio’s advantage is that Game 5 starts at 0-0, not with the weight of the blown lead on the scoreboard. The Spurs can use the home crowd, their size and the knowledge that they already had the Knicks on the ropes.
The series is still in a dangerous place. Teams do not want to trail 3-1 in the NBA Finals, and San Antonio no longer has margin for another late-game collapse.
But the listed Game 5 line is reassuring for a reason. The Spurs are not being viewed as a finished team. They are being viewed as a wounded team going home with enough firepower to force the Finals back to New York.
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