Kendrick Perkins praised Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby after the Knicks' dramatic 107-106 comeback win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, comparing their performance to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Kendrick Perkins had a strong reaction after the New York Knicks Game 4 win in the NBA Finals, putting Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby in the same conversation as one of the greatest duos in basketball history.
After watching the Knicks complete a 29-point comeback to beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106, Perkins praised both players for their impact on both ends of the floor and compared their performance to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
"I witnessed greatness last night," he said on ESPN's First Take. "An all-time great performance by the Knicks and all-time individual performances by OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson, a.k.a. Big Body Brunson. They were Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen last night in real time. They came out and they got on their a** in the second half. They got on their a**es like a pair of apple bottoms. I'm gonna name the jeans..."
"It wasn't just the second half. We gotta realize and remember Jalen Brunson kept the game, kept the Knicks relevant throughout the second quarter. He went through about 15 to 17 points in the second quarter. And then all of a sudden, he didn't take one breather in the second half. In the second half. And he showed what true leadership was all about."
Knicks take control of NBA Finals
The reaction came after the Knicks moved one win away from the NBA championship, taking a 3-1 lead in the series against the Spurs.
Anunoby was the key figure in the final moments of the game. He finished with a playoff career-high 33 points and delivered on both ends of the floor when it mattered most.
Anunoby made a crucial chase-down block late in the game before sealing the win with a game-winning tip-in with just 1.2 seconds left.
Brunson was also dominant throughout the game, finishing with 36 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals on 12-of-25 shooting.
With the win, New York now leads the NBA Finals 3-1 and is just one victory away from its third championship in franchise history.
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