NEW YORK, NY — For most of Tuesday night, the Knicks looked out of rhythm, outmatched, and headed toward a disastrous start to their Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But with Madison Square Garden hanging onto hope, Jalen Brunson delivered another signature playoff performance, leading New York back from a 22-point deficit in a historic Game 1 comeback.
Brunson scored 38 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter and overtime combined, as the Knicks erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit and stunned the Cavaliers, 115-104, in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The comeback marked the largest fourth-quarter rally in an NBA Conference Finals game in the play-by-play era.
New York trailed 93-71 with 7:52 remaining before closing regulation on a 30-8 run, shooting 12-for-14 from the field and 5-for-6 from three during that stretch, which turned what looked like a disappointing series opener into one of the most memorable playoff wins in franchise history.
“I gotta give my group credit,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “They’ve been resilient all year. I don’t know if I’ve seen that in a playoff game. Be down 18, 19, 20, whatever we were down. And to find a way to come back and win. I take my hat off to my group.”
Brunson led the charge, attacking Cleveland’s defense and repeatedly punishing mismatches. He finished 15-for-29 from the field with five rebounds and six assists.
With New York looking as if Game 1 of the ECF vs. Cleveland was a loss during the early parts of the fourth quarter Tuesday night, Jalen Brunson led the charge for the Knicks to make a historic comeback and defeat the Cavaliers in OT – Image Credit: NBA
“We don’t get it done if Jalen Brunson doesn’t play like one of the MVP guys in the league,” Brown said. “He was phenomenal. He did what he was supposed to do tonight.”
Mikal Bridges added 18 points and delivered two clutch fourth-quarter threes, while Landry Shamet came off the bench to score nine points on 3-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc.
Shamet’s corner three with 34 seconds left tied the game at 99, sending Madison Square Garden into a frenzy.
James Harden briefly put Cleveland back ahead, but Brunson answered to tie the score at 101 before Sam Merrill missed a potential game-winning three at the buzzer.
In overtime, New York took full control, opening the extra period on a 9-0 run and outscored Cleveland 14-3. Shamet drilled another three, Bridges made a key defensive play, and the Cavaliers never recovered.
Dominican-American Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and five assists while OG Anunoby and Josh Hart each added 13 points.
Towns noted the difference-maker was the team’s defense, stating, “our defense was fantastic in the fourth quarter and overtime. We have amazing shotmakers… at the end of the day, it’s the defense that won us the game.”
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 29 points, while Evan Mobley had 15 points and 14 rebounds. Harden added 15 points but committed six turnovers.
“Definitely thankful,” Brunson said of the Garden crowd of 19,812 who stayed with them. “Because they could’ve walked out if they wanted to.”
Brown also credited the fans, looking into the cameras after the game and saying, “You guys were frickin’ awesome tonight.”
The Knicks now lead the series 1-0 with Game 2 scheduled for Thursday night at MSG.
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