The Eastern Conference Finals opened with chaos, energy, and a comeback that will instantly become part of modern New York Knicks playoff lore.
Facing a 22-point deficit on their home floor, the Knicks looked completely overwhelmed early against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland controlled the pace, dictated the tempo defensively, and appeared well on its way to stealing Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.
Then everything changed.
New York flipped the game with an explosive second-half rally, turning defensive stops into transition opportunities while the Garden crowd grew louder with every possession. The Knicks ended the game on a 44-11 run, turning what once looked like a comfortable Cavaliers win transformed into a frantic, pressure-packed finish that may have already completely swung the momentum of the series.
Jalen Brunson led the way for the Knickerbockers, serving as the catalyst for the big comeback, scoring 38 points on 15-of-29 from the floor to go along with 6 assists.
We got some stops. We kept fighting and believing. We just kept chipping away,” Brunson said on ESPN. “They were playing great basketball. We just found a way. I really don’t have an answer.”
It was New York, who was up by as much as 11 in the first half, who seem poised to end the competitve portion of the game early on. For large swatches of the opening half, Cleveland looked discombobulated on offense and committed 11 turnovers, However, as halftime approached , the Cavaliers seemed to find their footing, taking a 48-46 lead at the break on a late Donovan Mitchell three-pointer.
The Cavaliers found three groove in the third quarter, building their advantage to 16 points in the period, as the Knicks were scrambling to find a semblance of the rhythm they displayed in the first half.
The fourth quarter stared off just as the third quarter and the Cavs pushed their advantage to 22 points when Donovan Mitchell knocked down a wide open three pointer.
New York, who looked dead in the water, went on an 18-1 run to trim the deficit to just 5 points. Brunson was key in the run, scoring 11 of the points in the burst.
Mikal Bridges’ step back three, made it a one possession game and then Landry Shamet also connected from downtown to tie the game.
Sam Merrill got a tremendous look at a potential game-winning shot but it was no good, sending the game into overtime.
The Knicks seized control of the game in the extra frame, scoring the first 9 points , which ultimately propelled them to the 115-104 win.
In a losing effort, Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland Cavaliers with 29 points and 5 rebounds on 12 or 12 from the floor, however cooled down the stretch. Evan Mobley posted a double-double with 15 points and 14 boards and James Harden , who was torched in the fourth quarter by Brunson, also struggled offensiveiy, shooting just 1-8 from downtown, scoring 15 points.
For the Knicks, Bridges scored 18 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 13 points and 13 rebounds.
For the Knicks, the win continues what has already been a memorable postseason run and further reinforces the belief surrounding this group. The 22-point deficit was the largest overcome in Knicks playoff history.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are left searching for answers after letting a commanding lead slip away in devastating fashion. Cleveland controlled large stretches of the game but could not withstand New York’s relentless second-half pressure once momentum shifted.
Game 2 , which tips off Thursday at 7 PM EST, now becomes critical for the Cavaliers, who suddenly face the possibility of heading back to Cleveland in a dangerous 0-2 hole if the Knicks continue to ride this momentum.
