Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher believes the San Antonio Spurs’ dramatic Game 4 collapse against the New York Knicks felt eerily similar to his famous 0.4-second game-winner in the 2004 playoffs.
Speaking on the “Wake Up Barstool” show, Fisher recalled the razor-thin margin between heartbreak and jubilation after OG Anunoby tipped in the winning basket with 1.2 seconds left, capping New York’s rally from a 29-point deficit—the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.
“So many things had to go right for those moments to happen,” Fisher said. “Making a game-winner in the NBA is so rare. The play last night from Anunoby, I just can’t even describe how crazy that play is.”
The Spurs have now suffered several of the league’s most memorable last-second defeats. Before Sunday, their most notorious sting came in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinals, when Fisher buried a turnaround jumper with 0.4 seconds remaining to give the Lakers the victory. San Antonio also endured Ray Allen’s late three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals, a shot that forced overtime and helped the Miami Heat win the series.
“I feel for Spurs fans,” Fisher added. “But that’s only because I’m not playing or coaching. Otherwise they can take it all day.”
With the Knicks now one win from an NBA championship and the Spurs searching for answers, Fisher said witnessing Anunoby’s heroics stirred memories of his own postseason exploits: “To be able to always look back and feel like you did something to help the team win—that’s what it’s all about.”
Source: LakersNation.com
