Jalen Brunson Leads Knicks’ 115-104 Historic Comeback Over Cavaliers/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Jalen Brunson scored 38 points as the Knicks erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime. New York closed regulation with a stunning comeback before dominating overtime at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks now lead the Eastern Conference finals 1-0 after one of the biggest playoff rallies in NBA history.
Jalen Brunson delivered one of the most memorable playoff performances in New York Knicks history Tuesday night, leading a stunning fourth-quarter comeback as the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Brunson finished with 38 points and fueled a dramatic rally after New York trailed by 22 points with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation.
The Knicks appeared headed toward a blowout loss before Brunson ignited the offense and Madison Square Garden erupted into chaos as New York stormed back to steal the opener.
The victory pushed the Knicks within three wins of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
Cleveland dominated most of the game and built a commanding 93-71 lead with 7:52 left in the fourth quarter.
At that point, the Cavaliers looked in complete control after frustrating New York’s offense for nearly the entire night.
But Brunson relentlessly attacked Cleveland’s defense, particularly targeting James Harden, helping spark a massive 18-1 run that suddenly transformed the game.
Brunson eventually tied the game at 101-101 on a basket with 19 seconds remaining in regulation, completing one of the greatest playoff comebacks in recent NBA history.
The Knicks then completely overwhelmed Cleveland in overtime.
New York opened overtime with a decisive 9-0 run as Madison Square Garden exploded with celebration.
Fans danced and screamed throughout the arena while the Knicks seized total momentum following the emotional comeback.
The Knicks outscored Cleveland 44-11 after trailing 93-71 late in the fourth quarter.
Mikal Bridges added 18 points for New York, while OG Anunoby contributed 13 points despite struggling for much of the game in his return from a strained right hamstring that sidelined him for two games.
Karl-Anthony Towns credited New York’s defense for helping fuel the comeback.
For three quarters, Cleveland looked poised to continue its impressive postseason road success.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 pointswhile Evan Mobley added 15 points and 14 rebounds.
James Harden scored 15 points but struggled from long distance, shooting just 1-for-8 from three-point range while committing six turnovers.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged the team’s collapse after controlling much of the game.
Mitchell also admitted Cleveland failed to finish the game properly.
The Knicks entered Game 1 after a lengthy break following their second-round sweep of Philadelphia on May 10.
The extended layoff initially appeared to hurt New York more than help it.
The Knicks struggled offensively for much of the night and shot just 4-for-23 from three-point range through the first three quarters.
Cleveland’s defense repeatedly disrupted New York’s rhythm while the Cavaliers looked sharper and more aggressive early.
However, New York’s resilience became the defining story of the game.
The comeback also erased painful memories from last season’s Eastern Conference finals opener, when the Knicks surrendered a late 14-point lead against Indiana before losing in overtime on their home floor.
The Knicks’ rally ranked among the most dramatic postseason comebacks in recent NBA history.
According to league records, the only larger fourth-quarter comeback in the NBA playoffs over the last 30 years came in 2012 when the Los Angeles Clippers overcame a 24-point deficit against Memphis.
New York also continued a recent trend of playoff resilience.
Last postseason, the Knicks overcame 20-point deficits three separate times — the franchise’s largest postseason comebacks since the 1969-70 championship season.
The victory extended New York’s postseason winning streak to eight games as the team continues building momentum during a remarkable playoff run.
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals is scheduled for Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
More on Sports
