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OG Anunoby’s tip-in of Jalen Brunson’s missed last second shot will go down as not only the defining moment of the New York Knicks’ unexpected run to the NBA Championship but also one of the most famous moments in NBA history. It will be replayed for generations, as will announcer Mike Breen shouting, ‘It’s good!” over and over again. I can’t imagine Anunoby, Breen or even Brunson would change a single thing about what happened, but it turns out had Brunson’s initial shot gone in, Breen was planning to honor the moment by changing his trademark catchphrase.
Most fans lose their home team announcers during the playoffs, as ESPN and other networks use more nationally recognized crews to call the big games. Knicks fans, however, are in a fortunate position, as their local play-by-play guy, Mike Breen, is also the lead play-by-play guy for ABC and ESPN, which broadcasts the NBA Finals. The honor is well deserved given he’s probably the best announcer in the game.
It wouldn’t be fair to call Breen a catchphrase guy, as he’s very quick on his feet and never feels repetitive, but it would be fair to say fans have fallen in love with him shouting, “Bang!” after a big shot is hit in a big moment. Every now and again, he’ll even hit us with a, “Bang! Bang!” if something really memorable happens.
So, what was his plan if Brunson had actually hit that three pointer to win Game 4? Breen was asked about it during an interview with New York City radio station WFAN, and he confirmed that he was planning to give fans a triple bang and say, “Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Yes. The answer is yes. If Jalen hit that, I would have (said ‘Bang! Bang! Bang!’)
It’s absolutely nuts to play the what could have been game, given the Knicks just completed one of the wildest and most unexpected runs in the history of the NBA playoffs. The team only had the seventh best record in the NBA during the regular season and most Vegas sportsbooks put them at around 17-1 to win the title heading into the playoffs. To the surprise of everyone, however, they ripped off a 16-3 record and won the team’s first championship in 53 years. So, obviously, they shouldn't be second guessing anything.
The win was fueled by a ton of huge moments, especially during the Finals, but it’s Brunson’s narrow miss and OG Anunoby’s tip-in that will end up being the highlight that appears in every video package the NBA puts together for as long as we’re all still alive. You can check out the play and Breen’s epic call below, which completed the largest comeback in NBA Finals history…
OG ANUNOBY WITH THE PUTBACK.KNICKS COMPLETE THE 29-PT COMEBACK FOR THE WIN.LARGEST COMEBACK IN NBA FINALS HISTORY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZtWVWY6JsRJune 11, 2026
The Knicks plan to bring the core of the championship team back and will likely contend for the title against next year. As such, you can expect Madison Square Garden to once again be filled to the brim with celebrities, and you can expect Breen back on the call during the playoffs next year. Maybe it’ll all play out a little bit differently and we’ll actually get that “Bang! Bang! Bang!”
