A game that will enter the NBA's postseason Comeback Hall of Fame took place at Madison Square Garden last night. The New York Knicks struggled for 40 minutes against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, trailing 93-71 with 7:52 left in the fourth quarter. But under Jalen Brunson's leadership, an incredible 18-1 run began: Brunson attacked James Harden aggressively, tying the game at 101 with seconds remaining. A late basket forced overtime, and the Knicks dominated the extra session to win 115-104.
Brunson's stats alone make a legend: 38 points, with him leading the fourth quarter and overtime charge. The Knicks outscored the Cavaliers 44-11 over the final 20 minutes. Brunson said after the game: "The message was simple: 'Keep chipping away. We won't get it back in one possession.' We just wanted momentum for Game 2 even if we'd lost the opener." On the Cavaliers' side, Donovan Mitchell had 29 points, while James Harden was overwhelmed in the fourth.
Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson admitted: "We played great basketball for three quarters. Unfortunately, the fourth quarter — they dominated us." Cleveland, entering the playoffs as the East's 4-seed (52-30), had carried momentum into the conference finals from earlier rounds — but this loss is a heavy psychological blow heading into Game 2.
The picture for the Knicks is different: the 3-seed (53-29) won their 8th straight game, having outscored Atlanta and Philadelphia by a combined 194 points across their first 10 playoff games — the largest 10-game margin in NBA history. But after not playing since their May 10 sweep of the 76ers, they looked rusty in the first half, shooting just 4-of-23 from three through three quarters. As the game wore on, they came back — and wrote a historic comeback.
Game 2 is Thursday at MSG. The Knicks have serious momentum after this game — leading the Eastern Conference Finals 1-0, with another home win putting them 2-0 and effectively ending Cleveland's chances. The NBA world is calling Brunson's performance "MVP-level" — with Boston Celtics out due to Tatum's injury, Brunson is already a favorite in the NBA Finals as the star of the favored team.
Source: Based on reports from ESPN, CBS Sports (via AP), NBA.com, FOX Sports and KSAT on the May 19, 2026 Knicks-Cavaliers Game 1.
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