The New York Knicks are NBA Champions this season, mainly because of one signature play, forward OG Anunoby’s miraculous tip-in, which gave the Knicks a historic comeback win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals last week.
The play ranks up near the top when it comes to New York Sports lore. The Knicks won their first NBA title since 1973 and captured the heart and imagination of the city in the process.
One New York sports legend, New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree, already knows where he’s ranking Anunoby’s basket on the list.
“I’m No. 1,” Tyree said jokingly, per the New York Post. “I’ll let everybody else argue. I would give him No. 2 because I’m a Knicks fan; it’s not even a shadow of a doubt. It’s No. 2 for me.”
Tyree, of course, is referring to his miraculous “helmet catch” that helped the Giants beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. That catch stands as the greatest play in Giants’ history, and is ranked near the top in the history of the NFL.
“The argument for me is it’s the Super Bowl, undefeated Patriots,” Tyree continued. “What makes OG No. 2 is you talk about the drought the Knicks had been in. That’s what makes this massively over other moments. It’s a stand-alone reality, what basketball means to New York City, what the Knicks mean to New York City. When you’re talking about football and beating an undefeated Patriots team that’s still looked at as a top 10 NFL team of all time, there’s probably more narratives in our Super Bowl.”
Tyree, who was a backup wide receiver and special teams ace for Big Blue in the early 2000’s, said he can’t believe he’s still in the conversation when it comes to his catch and where it stands in sports folklore.
“With the Helmet Catch, I’m a part of the history — you can’t tell the history of the NFL without the Helmet Catch. I cannot boast about it, and I take it with some humility, because it’s a gift,” he said.
Anunoby tipped in a rebound of a shot by Jalen Brunson to give the Knicks a one-point lead with just seconds remaining. Just like Tyree’s catch on a pass from Eli Manning, onlookers — and the opponent — were equally stunned.
“Brunson is the Eli of the story, and OG is the Tyree of the story,” Tyree said. “When I think what’s special about a championship team is seizing opportunities that the losers don’t. The timely moments are made, when the hero needs to rise, he raises up. When the unsuspected character is in position, he makes the play.”
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants hero David Tyree thrilled to share New York lore with OG Anunoby
