The New York Knicks caught fire late in the final seven minutes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, mounting a 22-point comeback to claim a 115-104 victory on Wednesday.
Marking their largest playoff comeback win in franchise history, Jalen Brunson ushered the Knicks to draw first blood in the series with 38 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.
“I’m just happy we found a way to win, we kept believing in each other, kept getting stops… My teammates kept believing in me, my coaches, it’s all credit to them,” Brunson said postgame.
Jalen Brunson Erupts Late to Seal Comeback Win
Despite trailing the Cavs by 22 at the midway point of the fourth quarter, the Knicks eventually rallied back to cut the deficit, with a floater by Brunson tying the game at 101 in the dying seconds to force an extra period.
It was all New York from there, as the Knicks outscored Cleveland in overtime 14-3 to take the first game of the conference finals.
Mikal Bridges followed up the offense with 18 points and 5 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and the returning OG Anunoby each chipped in 13 points apiece.
Cavs Collapse in Overtime as James Harden Struggles
Despite having the chance to steal Game 1 on the road and establish momentum, the Cavaliers instead fell victim to one of the largest playoff comebacks in NBA history.
With a chance to win the game in the final seconds of regulation, Sam Merrill’s three-point attempt went in and out, forcing OT. The wine-and-gold continued to struggle in overtime—allowing the Knicks to score nine straight points to seal the win.
Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavs in the loss with 29 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals, while James Harden struggled to find his rhythm, finishing with only 15 points on 5-for-16 shooting, including an atrocious 12% clip from three.
The Knicks will look to stay flawless, while Cleveland will look to even the series in Game 2 on Friday.
