In a night that will haunt San Antonio for years, the Spurs managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. Up by 27 at halftime and 29 overall, they let the New York Knicks storm back to steal Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The collapse was so historic that it instantly resurrected a ghost from another sport: the Atlanta Falcons' infamous 28-3 Super Bowl meltdown.
Social media exploded with comparisons, memes, and the kind of dark humor that only sports fans can muster. The Falcons, who haven't lived down their Super Bowl LI loss to the New England Patriots, were suddenly trending again. As one fan put it, “Falcons fans probably thought the Spurs would take the attention from 28-3. NOPE.”
Another observer noted the eerie similarities: “Really feels like the basketball equivalent of the Falcons famously blowing a 27-3 lead in the Super Bowl by not running the ball. The Spurs repeatedly throwing up threes with 10-plus seconds on the shot clock was equally egregious. And Fox not pulling the ball out with a one-point lead is as dumb as it gets.”
Some fans argued the Spurs' collapse was even worse because of the stakes. “The Spurs blowing a 29-point lead in the NBA Finals might be worse than the Falcons blowing a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl!” one commenter wrote. Others saw it as a release for Atlanta faithful: “The falcons are finally free,” one user declared, suggesting the Spurs had taken the crown for the most embarrassing blown lead in sports history.
But not everyone agreed. “Tonight’s game was a PTSD trigger for Falcons fans. And if you hate the Knicks with every fiber of your being, it somehow made it even worse,” another fan lamented.
There's a key difference, though: the Spurs still have a chance to redeem themselves. Down 3-1 in the series, they can still hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy if they win at home this Saturday, steal a game at Madison Square Garden next week, and close out the Knicks in Game 7. Only one team in NBA history has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Finals—the 2016 Cavaliers, who achieved that feat just eight months before the Falcons' Super Bowl collapse. For Atlanta, there was no Game 5, no second chance.
Still, the sting of this loss is raw. For more on the controversy, check out the missed foul on Fox that had fans crying foul after the game. And while the Spurs are reeling, rookie Dylan Harper didn't hold back, as seen in his viral TikTok calling out Fox after Game 1. Meanwhile, the weight of the moment may be taking a toll on the team's superstar—Wembanyama looked gassed in the Finals opener, raising questions about his stamina.
As the Spurs try to regroup, the internet will keep debating: which was worse, the Falcons' 28-3 or the Spurs' 29-point implosion? For now, the Falcons might be breathing a little easier—but only if the Spurs can't bounce back.
