OG Anunoby’s Viral Tip-In Fuels NBA’s Biggest Finals Draw Since Michael Jordan’s 1998 Title

OG Anunoby has become an overnight superstar in the eyes of fans after his clutch late-game heroics helped seal Game 4.

OG Anunoby’s Viral Tip-In Fuels NBA’s Biggest Finals Draw Since Michael Jordan’s 1998 Title

OG Anunoby and Michael Jordan (Image via FirstSportz)

OG Anunoby does not bask in the spotlight as some others do in the NBA. The New York Knicks star is as soft-spoken and humble as one can get.

He arrived in the city after the franchise traded for him back in 2023. Since then, he has been a quiet contributor, while his other teammates have become the superstars the city needed.

In Game 4 of the NBA Finals, head coach Mike Brown asked that quiet London-born player to be aggressive on the glass, while also stepping up on defense.

He listened and delivered. On defense, his effort was evident. When most players give up at the thought of chasing after a smaller, faster player, the 6’7″ star lunged towards De’Aaron Fox even though the Spurs star was a couple of steps ahead of him.

That effort helped him gain ground and also put him in a position to block Fox’s layup. It was the play that helped the Knicks regain possession.

On the very next play, he was open. But when he saw Jalen Brunson shoot the ball over two defenders, he remembered his coach’s words. Chasing after a potential rebound is what led to him tipping the ball in.

All those moments made the game the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. Quite the turnaround for a game that many felt was done for when the Spurs led by 27 at halftime.

It seems fans were keeping track. As the game progressed, they took to their television screens to watch it unfold. ESPN and ABC tracked the numbers, and it turns out, 20.9 million of them were watching. This is the largest audience since fans witnessed Michael Jordan win his final NBA title.

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OG Anunoby’s tip-in draws record 3 billion social media views

Surely, OG Anunoby cannot be solely credited for those numbers. But his effort, along with those of his teammates, helped the league and ESPN chart numbers that were unheard of for a long time.

Up until last year, the league was struggling to draw modest numbers, and many felt that the NBA had lost its touch with fans. Critics pointed to the excessive use of three-pointers and the lack of defense as reasons.

On top of that, the league had no balance. Since their three biggest superstars are on the back end of their respective careers, the league needed to step out of its focus on the big players.

This season, that balance seems to have come about. No one following the league throughout the regular season expected the Knicks to be in the NBA Finals.

On the other hand, many expected Victor Wembanyama to simply dominate and win his first title. It seems this back-and-forth between the two teams, where they are showcasing high-quality basketball, has left fans wanting more.

It was evident when the NBA revealed that clips from Game 4 were viewed more than three billion times on social media. The league did not specifically mention OG Anunoby’s game-sealing tip-in as the one that caused all this interest.

But the league using that play to announce this record makes it evident that it was OG Anunoby’s play that continued to be viewed on the internet for hours on end.

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Karl-Anthony Towns jokes about ‘Hand of God’ play from OG Anunoby

It so happens that when the play was trending on social media, some fans started coining the term ‘Hand of God’ to commemorate OG Anunoby’s game-winning tip-in.

OG Anunoby's tip-in is referred to as 'Hand of God'
OG Anunoby’s tip-in is referred to as ‘Hand of God’ (Image via Everything Knicks/X)

When sports fans hear that moniker, they often refer to Diego Maradona‘s effort, which happens to be one of the greatest moments in soccer history. No wonder even the Knicks star’s teammates are joking about it.

Right hand of God. Can’t spell God without OG.

Karl-Anthony Towns said

If this is what his teammates are saying, then there is no way OG Anunoby will hear the end of it. The Manhattan Borough has already immortalized him. If the Knicks win these NBA Finals, there could be a lot more coming the quiet star’s way.

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