Mike Breen Knicks NBA Finals Credit: MSG
By Matt Yoder on

Mike Breen’s “BANG!” call is one of the most iconic in the annals of sports broadcasting.

The veteran voice of the NBA Finals knows precisely when to unleash it in the context of a game, whether it’s at a climactic late-game moment, as part of a crucial stretch, or during an important rally.

And on a few very rare occurrences, Breen has unleashed a double “BANG!” with the first one being Steph Curry’s memorable shot for the Golden State Warriors against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also had one last year for the Knicks thanks to a Mikal Bridges buzzer beater against the Portland Trail Blazers.

But the triple “BANG!” is something that Breen has yet to implement. However, this year’s NBA Finals almost changed that.

In an interview with Craig Carton on WFAN in New York on Wednesday, the legendary announcer said he was ready for the first-ever triple “BANG!” if Jalen Brunson would have made the three-pointer before OG Anunoby’s tip-in completed the Knicks’ historic Game 4 comeback against the San Antonio Spurs.

“The worst thing I ever did was told those two knuckleheads that I was going to give a triple bang. Yes, the answer is yes. If Jalen hit that I would have done it,” Breen said.

The “knuckleheads” in question are Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. On their Roommates podcast, the pair asked Breen about a triple “BANG!” and he said that it would have to be for a game-winning shot in the NBA Finals. He also told Pablo Torre he would reserve it for the Knicks if they ever made it. A three-pointer to complete the largest comeback in NBA Finals history would have been the perfect moment for it, but instead, Mike Breen had to react in real-time to the incredible tip-in from OG Anunoby that ended up winning the game.

Knicks fans and NBA fans were probably just fine with that dramatic ending, even though the wait for the history-making shot continues.

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