The New York Knicks rallied from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night. New York forced overtime and pulled away in the extra period, leaving the team three wins from its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 38 points, six assists and five rebounds. Mikal Bridges scored 18, while Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart contributed 13 points apiece. The Cavaliers, who had beaten the Detroit Pistons in a Game 7 on Sunday, were led by Donovan Mitchell’s 29 points. James Harden and Evan Mobley each finished with 15.
With 7:49 remaining in the fourth quarter and Cleveland leading 93-71, the Cavaliers held a 99.9% chance of winning the game, according to ESPN analytics. New York outscored Cleveland 44-11 the rest of the way to complete the comeback.
The Cavaliers’ 22-point edge was the largest lead of the game. The rally was the second-largest fourth-quarter comeback in the playoffs over the last 30 postseasons and the biggest playoff comeback in Knicks history since 1970. Only the 2012 Los Angeles Clippers, who trailed by 24 against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, have erased a larger deficit in the playoffs.
Brunson supplied 17 of his points on 8-of-10 shooting in the final 12:49, outscoring the Cavaliers himself during that span. He shot 7-of-11 when guarded by James Harden, according to the game details.
New York’s 11-point margin in overtime is tied for the largest overtime victory in a conference or divisional finals game in NBA history. The Knicks are also the first team in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98) to win any game by double digits after trailing by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter. Over the last two postseasons, New York has recorded four 20-point playoff comebacks; all other teams combined have four during the same span. ESPN Research contributed to this story.
