Barbara Barker: Where does OG Anunoby's tip-in rank among the greatest shots in Knicks history?

In a locker room filled with colorful characters, OG Anunoby stands apart.

He’s soft-spoken. He’s matter-of-fact. And until the  Knicks' historic comeback Wednesday night, he often was referred to as the unsung hero of this team.

No more. If there is one single snapshot that captures the emotion and joy of this incredible Knicks postseason, it is of Anunoby soaring from the heavens to put back Jalen Brunson’s missed three-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, capping a comeback from a 29-point third-quarter deficit.

Anunoby’s tip-in — which teammate Karl-Anthony Towns called “a hand from God” — gave the Knicks a 107-106 win, putting them one win away from  their first title in 53 years. It also became an immediate contender for the  honor of best shot in Knicks history.

“I don’t know if there was a play bigger than [that] in the history of Knicks basketball,” Mike Brown said. “That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball.”

Was it the most iconic? That is something that will be debated through the ages. I would say if the Knicks win the title — and it looks very likely that they will, given that they will bring a 3-1 series lead to San Antonio for Game 5 — it ties Willis Reed’s first two buckets after limping onto the court at Madison Square Garden with a torn thigh muscle in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals.

Here’s a look at the contenders:

5. John Starks' dunk, 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 2

OK, this is a distant fifth, but it deserves mention just because of its visual appeal and the fact that it has come to symbolize the gutsy determination of the Knicks of the 1990s. The sight of the 6-5 Starks going baseline and rising over Michael Jordan and Horace Grant to throw down a lefthanded dunk with 50 seconds left in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals is awe-inspiring. The fact that the Knicks didn’t win the series keeps it out of true contention.

4. Allan Houston’s floating runner, 1999 Eastern Conference first round, Game 5

So much drama. First, the Knicks were playing archrival Miami. Second, the Knicks were the No. 8 seed and the Heat were No. 1.  The running one-hander — which hung on the rim and finally dropped with eight-tenths of a second left — not only clinched the series but propelled the Knicks on a run to the NBA Finals.

3. Larry Johnson’s four-point play, 1999 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3

Johnson practiced his three-point shooting over and over before the series against the Indiana Pacers because he felt that’s where they were most vulnerable. That thinking proved to be prescient. With the Knicks trailing by three points, Johnson not only sank a three-pointer  with 5.7 seconds left but drew contact from Antonio Davis, the officials ruled. Johnson recently told me that to this day, Starks loves to greet him by saying, “That wasn’t a foul.” No matter. Johnson sank the free throw and the rest is history.

2. Patrick Ewing’s putback dunk, 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 7

The parallels between this and Anunoby’s putback are hard to ignore. Ewing clinched the franchise’s first trip to the NBA Finals since 1973 when he muscled his way through a bruising Pacers defense to dunk a miss by Starks with 50 seconds left in the game. The Knicks went on to lose to the Rockets in seven games. They traveled to Houston with a 3-2 lead in the series, and that was the last time they were within one victory of an NBA title.

1. Anunoby’s putback and Reed’s first two buckets, 1970 NBA Finals, Game 7

You all saw what Anunoby did Wednesday night, so no rehash is needed here. I know this is supposed to be about an iconic shot, but this moment is really about two. Reed emerging like a superhero from the tunnel and hitting his first two shots of Game 7 while dragging his injured leg up and down the court will forever be remembered as one of the most clutch performances in sports history. Though that would be it for him in this game, the performance inspired teammate Walt Frazier to take over the game with 36 points and 19 assists.

So what does Anunoby think about hitting one of the most iconic shots in Knicks history? His answer to that question Wednesday was so low-key that it drew smiles and laughter from many in the postgame news conference. When he observed the media members' reaction to his answer, he broke into a broad smile — unusual for him.

“It’s cool. I mean, everyone’s pretty excited,” Anunoby said in an understatement that stood in bold contrast with the magnitude of the moment. “I’m pretty excited, too.”