It has been 27 long years since the New York Knicks last made the NBA Finals, but they’re finally back.

Yet despite blowing a late 14-point lead, the Knicks looked up at the scoreboard after the final buzzer and saw that they had somehow done just enough to beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-104.

“Sprays” — his word for plays on which a player inside the 3-point line kicks the ball out to a player beyond the arc, whether as a result of a drive, catch, offensive board or divine intervention — m...