The New York Knicks have not won the NBA Championship since 1973 [Getty Images]
The New York Knicks mounted their biggest play-off comeback by overcoming a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in game one of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.
The Knicks trailed 93-71 with less than eight minutes remaining at Madison Square Garden, but outscored the Cavaliers 30-8 to tie the game at 101-101 before surging to victory in overtime.
It is the second biggest fourth quarter comeback in an NBA play-off game and the biggest since April 2012, when the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Memphis Grizzlies from 24 points down.
"I don't know if I've ever seen that in a play-off game," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said.
"To be down 18, 19, 20 - whatever we were down - and to find a way to come back and win, I take my hat off to my group."
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson scored 17 of his 38 points in the final eight minutes of regulation time and overtime, while Mikal Bridges finished with 18 points and Karl-Anthony Towns 13 points and 13 rebounds.
"The team's relentless. You never know whose night it's going to be, but we're going to figure it out," guard Miles McBride said.
Donovan Mitchell led the scoring for the Cavaliers with 29 points, although only three came in the fourth quarter.
It was their 11th game in 21 days, while the Knicks had not played for nine days.
"We should have won the game," Mitchell said.
"We're up 22 with God knows how much time - got to win the game."
Game two of the best-of-seven series will take place at the same venue on Thursday (01:00 BST, Friday).
The series winners will meet the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. The Spurs lead 1-0.
They meet at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Wednesday (01:30 BST, Thursday).
Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -6.5; over/under is 214.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Knicks lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 115-104 in overtime on Wednesday, led by 38 points from Jalen Brunson. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29.
The Knicks are 35-17 against Eastern Conference opponents. New York is 9-4 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Cavaliers are 33-19 in conference games. Cleveland ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference shooting 36.0% from 3-point range.
The Knicks' 14.2 made 3-pointers per game this season are the same per game average that the Cavaliers give up. The Cavaliers average 14.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 more makes per game than the Knicks give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 28.4 points over the last 10 games.
Mitchell is scoring 27.9 points per game and averaging 4.5 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Max Strus is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 8-2, averaging 120.6 points, 44.9 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 101.2 points per game.
Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 109.0 points, 42.7 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.1 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: None listed.
Cavaliers: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives around Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter in Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers fumbled a prime opportunity to steal Game 1 on the road. They crumbled at the end, blowing a 22-point lead in history fashion.
Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.
LOSER – Big Jim Harden
James Harden just had perhaps the worst individual defensive performance in NBA Playoff history. Seriously, it was historically bad. Harden was targeted eight times in isolation during the fourth quarter, something that has only happened 30 times in the history of the NBA’s tracking data (including regular-season games since 2013).
Harden gave up more points per possession in those situations than anyone, ever.
The Knicks had an absolute feast courtesy of Harden.
Jalen Brunson hunted him in a switch that came far too easily from the Cavs. I can blame Kenny Atkinson for that. It’s inexplicable that the Cavs allowed this to happen as many times as it did without an adjustment.
Still, you have to do more than swipe at the ball and get torched any time you turn your hips.
— Coach Gibson Pyper (@HalfCourtHoops) May 20, 2026
Harden had no chance in these isolations. He’s an upright defender who can only hold his own when someone tries to outmuscle him. A game that’s predicated on craft and shiftiness is going to beat him every time. Brunson took advantage of that and delivered on a massive comeback.
That wasn’t all, however. Harden finished with more turnovers than made field goals for the sixth time this postseason. An unimaginable stat that has contributed to some of Cleveland’s ugliest losses. The margin for error is too tight for Harden to play like this.
Even a 22-point cushion wasn’t enough to cover it up.
LOSER – Prevent Offense
The Cavs, as I’m sure you’ve heard, had a 22-point lead with 7 minutes remaining. That’s bordering on garbage time. But this is the Eastern Conference Finals. And… we’re in an era of parity and three-point variance. You can’t take your foot off the gas.
Those days are gone. You have to sprint through the finish line or risk a collapse. You saw what happened when the Cavs tried to jog.
As much as we crushed Harden for his defense — an equally bad thing occurred on the other end of the floor.
Cleveland’s offense, which diced the Knicks all night long for quality looks, abruptly went away from everything that was working.
No more ball movement.
The bigs? Forget ‘em.
Let’s not even bother going into the paint, actually
What if we just dribbled for an entire possession? That would waste a lot of time.
Let’s dribble for two full possessions.
What if we dribble for every possession?
Can we just dribble for the final seven minutes? Will they end the game if we keep dribbling?
The Cavs played ‘prevent’ offense down the stretch. Grinding themselves to a halt by trying to burn the clock. Each possession waned until the final seconds of the shot clock, which then only left the Cavs with an opportunity to run one action before hoisting a shot.
That’s how you blow a 22-point lead.
Teams up 20+ with 7 minutes to go in the fourth quarter of playoff games were 643-0 …
Donovan Mitchell and Harden deserve blame for this. Kenny Atkinson, as well. There’s no excuse for making a mistake that has burned many teams before them. This team has overcome enough obstacles to understand what works and what doesn’t. In no world does this team win games by letting go of the rope and drastically changing their approach in the final minutes.
WINNER – Defending the KAT action
Alright, let’s talk about some positives.
I truly believe the Cavs did lots of great things in this game. After all, that lead didn’t appear out of thin air. The Cavs played lights out through three quarters, looking like the more focused and physical team. We know that didn’t last — but there’s one thing that remains a win for Cleveland.
The Cavs neutralized point-KAT.
New York had found success using Karl-Anthony Towns as an offensive hub. They’d set him up above the arch, forcing opposing rim protectors to vacate the paint and defend him outside as he poses too much of a shooting threat to leave alone. After successfully drawing out the big — KAT would set up shop and allow his teammates to screen for each other. Someone would slip to the rim or cause a breakdown, and KAT would handle the rest with his playmaking.
This has led to the Knicks posting some absurd scoring games in the playoffs with KAT dishing out over 7 assists per game.
However, the Cavs are especially equipped to handle this.
Evan Mobley defended Towns and got all up into his airspace. He didn’t allow KAT to put the ball on the floor and made it difficult for him to access passing lanes.
Meanwhile, Jarrett Allen ignored Josh Hart in the corner and instead roamed the paint to clean up any slippage from the backcourt. Allen was the safety, ensuring no one could get into the paint without seeing a shot blocker.
This dynamic sets Cleveland apart as they are the only team New York has played that has two rim-protecting bigs who can handle KAT as an offensive hub. As a result, KAT finished with just 13 points on 14 shots to go with 7 turnovers to only 5 assists.
This is a winning formula for the Cavs. It’s something that gave New York fits, and they can replicate it on any given night.
NEW YORK — As exultant fans leaked slowly back out into an unseasonably warm night in the city, the New York Knicks players huddled briefly near midcourt and embraced each other.
Just minutes earlier, this building had been dazed, silent. That was before Jalen Brunson carried his teammates and this city to an improbable comeback in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
The Knicks frantically erased a 22-point fourth quarter deficit to stun the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime, 115-104, Tuesday, May 19 to position themselves three victories away from the NBA Finals.
It was the second largest comeback in the fourth quarter of a postseason game since 1997, the start of the play-by-play era.
Here are takeaways from the Knicks’ victory Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals:
The Cavaliers wasted a pristine chance — maybe the best they’ll have — to steal a game at the Garden
Entering Tuesday night, teams holding a 22-point lead at any point in the fourth quarter of a postseason game were 594-1, a winning percentage of .998. The Cavaliers made it 594-2.
This was, practically speaking, as good a chance as Cleveland will have to steal a game on the road. From the 7:49 mark until the end of regulation, the Cavs allowed the Knicks to ignite on a 30-8 extended run to send the game into overtime.
In fact, if you extend it further, the Knicks closed the game on an astounding 44-11 fusillade that snatched Cleveland’s soul.
“Should’ve won the game,” Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell told reporters after the game. “Even if there was complacency, we were up 22 with God knows how much time — eight minutes? Gotta win the game.”
In the fourth quarter and overtime, Mitchell and James Harden combined to go 2-of-13 for 9 points. The pair was scoreless after regulation. As New York clamped up its defense and forced Cleveland into turnovers, possessions devolved and shots became forced. The Cavaliers were initiating their actions well beyond the paint and they were starting late in shot clocks.
The biggest issue for Cleveland is that it now needs to flush this result and move on. Because a loss like this can linger. It can seep into the team’s preparation and erode their confidence. And falling in an 0-2 hole could
“We lost,” Mitchell added. “We (expletive) blew it. All right, let’s get ready for Game 2. Simple as that.”
Jalen Brunson was a flamethrower in the fourth
This was special. It was one of the world’s best closers willing his team to overcome the improbable. Knicks All-Star captain Jalen Brunson went on an absolute heater, strafing the Cavaliers with clutch shot-making in the fourth quarter. He shot 7-of-9 in the period, finishing with 15 points. During one stretch, he poured in 11 consecutive points to single-handedly shrink Cleveland’s lead to five.
This was Brunson at his best, no wasted movement, an understanding of space and leverage, a commitment to get to his spots. And when he’s like this, the Knicks are very difficult to beat.
Brunson finished the game with 38 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
The Cavaliers need to find a solution to James Harden being hunted on defense
This, to be clear, is not the only reason the Cavaliers blew their 22-point lead. But it was painfully transparent how readily the Knicks were hunting James Harden on defense, seeking him out in pick-and-rolls so that Jalen Brunson would get matched up with him. And every time New York found itself in that scenario, it took advantage.
The Cavaliers were trying to do the same thing when they had the ball, only seeking out Brunson in a matchup.
Needing to launch that massive run to reclaim the lead, the Knicks had to resort to that strategy.
“Sometimes you’ve got to do what the game dictates,” Knicks coach Mike Brown told reporters after the game. “They were trying to do the same thing with Jalen, so we said, okay, we feel like we can play that game. We try not to play that game much, but we feel like we have a guy we can play that game with in Jalen.
“There is no secret: we were attacking Harden.”
The puzzling part about Tuesday night’s loss is that Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t adjust. He didn’t bring Max Strus, a guard who has solid (if unspectacular) defensive ability. In fact, Atkinson called timeout only once during New York’s relentless barrage.
“Yeah, I like to hold my timeouts,” Atkinson said. “I didn’t want to have one timeout at the end of the game. One or two-point game, I try to hold them.”
This won’t stop in Game 2. The Knicks will continue to exploit the matchup, so the Cavaliers need to find a way — whether it’s avoiding switches, whether it’s sprinkling in zone, whether it’s having Harden drift off to less potent scorers — to keep runs like this from happening again.
— Coach Gibson Pyper (@HalfCourtHoops) May 20, 2026
New York’s recipe for success in the series: get to the paint
As much as the 3-point shooting struggles were a massive factor for New York falling in an early hole, and as much as its catching fire late was a big reason for the comeback, the more sustainable path toward success in the series is in the paint.
The Knicks outscored the Cavs there by a margin of 60-38 on Tuesday night. This is particularly notable because Cleveland tied for 10th in the statistic during the regular season, putting up an average of 52.0 paint points per game, while the Knicks ranked 22nd, at 47.8.
By having Jarrett Allen guarding Josh Hart, and by having Hart leak out toward the perimeter, that left the paint open for the Knicks to attack. Look for Cleveland to find ways to keep both Allen and Evan Mobley closer to the basket to protect the rim.
Because if New York can keep gaining a similar edge down low, it’s tough to see how the Cavaliers can stay competitive in the series.
Madison Square Garden was deflated. The Knicks, down by 22 in the fourth quarter, appeared headed at rapid speed to take a series-defining loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals for a second straight season on Tuesday night.
And then something happened that had never happened before. Per Nate Duncan, teams down 20 in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter of a playoff game were 0-643 in the play-by-play era.
A 44-11 run by New York over the final 12:55 combined minutes of the fourth and overtime sealed a 115-104 win.
“I gotta give my group credit, they’ve been resilient all year,” head coach MikeBrown said, adding that the Cavaliers to that point were “shooting the ball well, they were turning us over, they were getting the ball in the pocket, and taking advantage of us.”
“And we just found a way,” Brown said. “We found a group of five guys that went out there, ended up getting stops and scoring the basketball.”
“Obviously,” the head coach continued, “we don’t get it done if Jalen Brunson doesn’t play like one of the MVP guys in the league.”
"He's an amazing player,” OG Anunoby, who added 13 points, said. “I'm happy he's on our team. I think we're all happy he's on our team."
Down 93-71, Brunson scored 15 points, including 11 straight at one point, and added two assists to send the game to OT.
“He was phenomenal,” Brown said.
Brunson said he was "just being in attack mode" during the fourth.
"Just trying tring to find seams to get to where I could be comfortable," he said. "Finally, one [three] did go down, that's just because of the rhythm I created from the shots beforehand."
The guard started the night by missing his first five three-pointers before he connected from deep to cut the lead to five with 3:30 to play in the fourth
“Brunson obviously took over at the end,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We started double-teaming him, trying to do some different things… they dominated us in the fourth quarter.”
Donovan Mitchell, who led Cleveland with 29 points, said there was nothing they could do now other than look at the film and get ready for Game 2 on Thursday.
"He was a little comfortable. We could've done some things collectively, and we didn't, and that's on us," Mitchell said.
For the game, the Knicks' leader finished with 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting with six assists, five rebounds, three steals, and was a plus-15 in 47 minutes.
Atkinson added that he felt the Cavs held Brunson “in check most of the game.”
“Basically, the fourth quarter he got loose,” he said. “We definitely tried to mix up some stuff, throw some stuff at him. We’ll have to keep looking at it. There was a lot of tough floaters, and hit that tough, contested three.”
At one point late in the game with the Knicks down, Brunson got animated in the huddle.
“He’s a leader. He’s our guy. And he felt we needed to play faster, he felt we needed to be better defensively,” Brown said. “There were a couple things he felt and he made sure we knew. And our guys responded to him.”
Brunson said the message in the huddle was to "keep fighting."
"Keep chipping away, we're not gonna get it back in one possession," he said. "Most importantly, sticking together, no matter how that game finished, habits translate; they get transferred to the next game. So just finishing the game strong, regardless of whatever's going on. Making sure everyone has the right habits."
It was a quarter to remember for Landry Shamet and the Knicks.
Down 22 points to the Cavaliers with less than eight minutes to go in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Shamet helped New York orchestrate their largest comeback victory in franchise playoff history.
While Jalen Brunson exploded for 15 points to lead the comeback, Shamet's defense and clutch shot-making gave the Knicks captain some help in the team's improbable 115-104 victory in overtime on Tuesday night.
"Landry Shamet was great. He was great on both ends of the floor. He came up big," head coach Mike Brown said after the win. "You’re not going to stop a guy like Donovan Mitchell. Landry tried like heck to make him work. He was fantastic. He was the difference in the ballgame tonight on both ends of the floor."
"He played big time," Brunson said of Shamet. "He's up to any task that you put in front of him. He's been that player for us, and we have the utmost faith in him."
The Cavaliers star went for a team-high 29 points, but in the final frame, he scored just three on 1 of 4 shooting thanks to Shamet.
"He didn’t just change the game with the clutch shots, but defensively bringing energy," Miles McBride said of Shamet. "Getting hands on deflections and picking up full court. Things like that inspires the whole team."
For Shamet, he credited Game 1's defense on Mitchell on the Knicks' depth. Shamet played just three minutes through the first three quarters -- all in the first half -- so he had the energy to stay with Mitchell in the fourth.
"One of the luxuries of our team is we got a lot of really good primary on-ball, primary off-the-ball defenders. Team defenders," Shamet explained. "I didn’t really play the first three quarters and then you throw fresh legs at someone whose got it going. Just come in try to compete, be physical, take advantage that I didn’t play. Use the energy that I had. That's really it. Compete, communicate, make it hard on him. He's a helluva player.
"We expect him to have a good game against us. Gotta give him his credit, he really hurt us. We have to make adjustments. We were connected, played hard and was physical."
Although the Knicks applauded Shamet's defense in the fourth quarter, he made some timely shots, including a three-pointer with less than a minute to go that tied the game at 99 apiece. Shamet said he was saying "just stay down" as it rattled around the rim before going through the hoop.
"I didn’t realize at the time that one would have tied up," Shamet said of the shot. "That's where you kinda want to be. When you're flowing, you don't want to be thinking about things. The ball found me, I was open in transition, let the ball fly and it went in."
Shamet would also make an open three in overtime after Brunson found him, which put the Knicks up nine with 1:49 remaining, and essentially sealed the win for New York. That play embodied Brown's mindset, and when the first-year Knicks coach was asked why he went with Shamet in the fourth, he said he wanted a shooter on the perimeter against the Cavs defense, who play big. And if Cleveland decided to put a bigger defender on Shamet, he would exploit it.
He also needed to space the floor while Brunson continued to dissect the defense in the paint.
"Defensively, Landry’s a big guard, he’s physical, and he can defend without foul," Brown said. "To play him, knowing they will pack the paint when Jalen comes and the sprays are going to be there. And that’s what we decided to do."
There was a point in the fourth when the team was still down 17 in the fourth and Shamet was visibly trying to fire up his teammates. Shamet said he knew it was a turning point in the game and that they had to go for it.
"If you’re going to make it run, that’s when you have to do it," Shamet said. "Might as well throw your best punch at that point, do what you can. You have to leave it all out there, especially this time of the year. That’s what we did. We have a group that didn’t flinch at the deficit. We made something happen."
The Knicks look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead when they host the Cavs against on Thursday night.
But in their exultation outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, the Knicks faithful might’ve gotten a little too ahead of themselves.
The area outside the Garden is always a party after a Knicks playoff win, and Tuesday night was no different after a 115-104 overtime victory over the Cavaliers. But some Knicks fans were already thinking about an NBA Finals opponent.
Some exuberant fans in another chant yelled out, “Knicks in four.”
If the Knicks do end up playing the Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals, New York does bring in a championship edge over San Antonio from this season. The Knicks beat the Spurs, who were limiting Wembanyama’s minutes, in the NBA Cup final in mid-December.
Knicks fans celebrate their team’s 115-104 overtime win outside Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026. James Keivom for NY PostThe Knicks fans were all smiles after the win. James Keivom for NY PostKnicks fans watched the game from outside MSG. James Keivom for NY Post
The two teams split the other two games in the regular season, with each squad winning at home.
But the Knicks will still have to get past a Cavaliers team, which did luck vulnerable after blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell led the way with 29 points, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t pull back any punches after the loss.
San Antonio would have to get past the defending champion Thunder to make a Knicks-Spurs 1999 NBA Finals rematch happen, too. That series resumes on Wednesday.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: Josh Hart #3 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks react to a call as Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the first quarter in Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’m speechless. Wordless.
The Knicks closed Game 1 of the conference finals against Cleveland on a 44-11 run, turning a 21-point deficit with less than eight minutes left in the fourth quarter into a 115-104 overtime win, the biggest postseason comeback in franchise history. I’ve seen more than 200 Knick playoff games. I’ve never seen one more dramatic. The game chart literally looks like the map for a three-act drama.
Image credit: nba.com
About ten minutes in, we left the old world (the Cavs getting ahead early) for the new (the Knicks leading most of the rest of the first half. That’s not really “new” in that the Knicks have been leading for weeks, but they haven’t played in over a week, so it’s their newest lead in a while).
Then the long, dark turn from the end of the second act through the third, as multiple forces conspire to pit our hero against impossible odds. The climax: the end of regulation/first few minutes of overtime, as it became clear the Cavs were toast. The lights weren’t too bright this time. They just got punched in the face. Over and over. They couldn’t stop the bleeding.
Very much relatedly, they couldn’t stop Jalen Brunson; even among the sparkling lights of his legendary playoff performances, tonight may go down as the crown jewel. When the Knicks were at their low point, he locked in on attacking James Harden, the Hasabeard and the Cavaliers had no answer for him, and by the time they knew what hit them the Knicks were dribbling out the last seconds of their overtime win.
This wasn’t the scoreboard porn we were spoiled by against Atlanta and Philadelphia, but as dominance goes, 44-11 over a de facto quarter takes a backseat to nobody. Early on Cleveland showed a lot of the good energy they showed winning Sunday in Detroit, but double-digit turnovers by intermission kept them from sustaining anything good.
The Knicks were ahead most of the first half, but for much of the game while players for both teams looked fatigued or rusty, Donovan Mitchell looked shot out of a cannon. Drilling from deep, deflections, dashing out in transition, diming: Spida was weaving his web everywhere.
There’s a bit of a Sinister Six energy to these Cavs. Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are the three villains who come together to plot their revenge against a shared enemy. Max Strus (2023 Heat) and Thomas Bryant (last year’s Pacers) are former villains just down to help bring the pain. Harden looks like a comic book villain; there’s a cartoonish quality to his tattletale ref-baiting brand of ball.
The Cavs began to pull away after halftime, when the Knicks found themselves piling up the giveaways. The hope is make a run late in the third to set up some momentum for the fourth. Reader, they did not.
Could they come out for the final frame all fired up and foaming at the mouths, and run down the non-fake comeback? Thankfully there was no foaming. There was Brunson, lofting his artworks high off glass, draining floaters, finding others. There was Anunoby, in his first action in two weeks, grabbing every defensive rebound in sight. Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet hitting 3 after game-tying 3 after game-clinching 3.
As the game ticked under the eight-minute mark and the Knicks trailed by 22, I did the math in my head: get it down to 12 with four minutes left. That gives you a realistic shot. By the four-minute mark, the Knicks had cut it to eight. And there was no reason to think they were close to finished. The Knicks looked like a bolt of lightning was coursing through all five of them.
If this were a boxing match, the Cavs would have spent the rest of the fight tying the Knicks up and falling into the ropes, begging the ref to help them run out the clock. Mitchell became, if not a pacifist, passive. There was never an inkling of a response from the visitors. Once the Knicks started swinging, the Cavs were a punching bag.
The Knicks did what they had to do, in a manner that will only deepen their self-confidence while challenging the Cavs to re-examine theirs. And since we want our main character to show some kind of growth along the way, here’s a welcome reversal from 2025 (and 2024, for different reasons): the Cavs, 48 hours after a Game 7 in Detroit that capped an every-other-day two week series, used an eight-man rotation for a 53-minute conference final game.
Fresh off eight days off, the Knicks rolled nine-deep, nine-plus counting Jose Alvarado’s short stint out of the bullpen. Something to keep an eye on going forward?
Keep your eye on P&T Wednesday for Russell Richardson’s recap. Till then, I’m gonna sit in my recliner (the one I did not flinch in once Brunson started scoring — I know my role and my superstitious ass plays it well), rewind to the start of the fourth quarter, click “play” and let the magic linger. Long as it likes.
This will be remembered as one of the epic comebacks in the storied history of the New York Knicks.
This will also be remembered as one of the epic collapses in a too-long history of collapses by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland took command of Game 1 in the second and third quarters, stretching their lead out to 22 on a James Harden free throw with 7:52 left in the fourth quarter.
From that point on (and including overtime), the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers 44-11, shooting 75% from the floor, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range, and Jalen Brunson scored 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting — primarily attacking James Harden in isolation — plus had four assists. Meanwhile, Cleveland shot 22.2%, was 2-of-11 from 3, and turned the ball over six times.
BRUNSON SHINED IN NEW YORK'S 22-POINT COMEBACK WIN!
"I think the common denominator was us still believing in each other, us still playing, still fighting, just chipping away," Brunson said in his postgame TNT interview, after admitting he didn't know what happened in those final seven minutes. "Kept getting stops, kept running, got a couple lucky shots to go in, but we just kept fighting."
The result was a 115-104 overtime win that changed the entire tenor of this series and put New York up 1-0 at home, with Game 2 on Thursday in Madison Square Garden — which was rockin' during the comeback.
There were a few things that fueled the turnaround.
• Brunson started getting isolated on Harden and attacking. Cleveland gave up incredibly soft switches to allow Brunson to get the defender he wanted, then didn't send help during the entire 18-1 run at the start of the comeback that changed the game. Eventually, the Cavs started to blitz and double-team Brunson off that pick, but he made the pass to the open man, the ball found shooters and New York finally started knocking down its 3-pointers. • Knicks coach Mike Brown realized Josh Hart was having a rough night and was not a good matchup against the Cavaliers starters (he was -23 for the game), so Brown did what a good coach does in the playoffs: He benched Hart for much of the fourth quarter run. In the playoffs, coaches have to be ruthless, even if it's a guy like Hart who is the heart and soul of this team. It's about winning.
• Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson left Harden in for the entire end of the game. Not only was he getting torched on defense, but Harden also shot 1-of-5 in that final stretch of the game, including missing all three attempts from beyond the arc.
• Cleveland went away from the passing and ball movement that got them a 22-point lead in the first place, trying to play slow and eat clock, falling back on Harden and Mitchell isolation.
For the game, Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 points, and his playmaking and scoring helped the Cavaliers look dominant for the middle stretch of this game. Evan Mobley added 15 points and 14 rebounds, plus had three blocks, but shot 6-of-16 from the floor against the tall Knicks front line of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
Mikal Bridges had a strong game for the Knicks with 18 points, while OG Anunoby, Hart and Towns each had 13 (and Towns also had 13 rebounds).
There are things Cleveland can take away from this game. In the second and third quarters, they outscored the Knicks 67-46, shooting 53.3% overall and hitting 10-of-23 (43.5%) from 3. Mitchell led the way with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in that stretch.
In that stretch, the Cavaliers got whatever they wanted on offense. Because the Knicks would double Mitchell or Harden, the Cavs' stars would pass to the screener on the short roll, and then the ball would fly around and find open shooters or cutters. This was one key reason why the Cavaliers traded for Harden at the February deadline: his passing.
But Harden is a double-edged sword, and the Cavaliers trail 1-0 in this series because of it.
And the Knicks are full of confidence that they can repeat what worked so well at the end of the game.
Do Cavaliers fans have Dave Portnoy to blame for their team’s implosion in the fourth quarter as the Knicks defeated Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals?
Cleveland held an extensive lead when the Barstool Sports founder seemed to tempt fate, posting a sarcastic message on X, telling Knicks fans to “keep your head up.”
“As somebody who won a ton of Eastern Conference finals I want to tell Knicks fans not to give up,” wrote Portnoy, who is a well-known Celtics fan. “That looked like a rust game to me. Plus probably over confident after beating a pathetic Sixers team. Long series. Keep your head up. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. You guys aren’t that good but you can still win this thing. Chin up.”
Knicks fans react outside Madison Square Garden as they watch a televised broadcast of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. James Keivom for NY Post
Portnoy later followed up the post with one noting that the Knicks had gone on an 18-1 run “since this tweet by the way.”
“I’d also like to point that many people would delete the below tweet, but that is not my style. I will own it. Leaders lead. Credit to me for being accountable,” Portnoy later wrote on X.
Dave Portnoy started celebrating the Knicks’ demise in Game 1 a little too early. Dave Portnoy/X
The Knicks’ miracle kicked off the team’s second consecutive trip to the conference finals after not having reached the series since 2000.
Dating back to the 1996-97 season, the Knicks were 0-277 when they trailed by at least 22 points in the fourth quarter of a regular season or playoff game prior to Tuesday’s Game 1 win.
Jalen Brunson drives to the basket during the Knicks’ comeback win against the Cavaliers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Jalen Brunson finished the game with 38 points as he helped lift the Knicks to victory and a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: James Harden #1 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers just had a total meltdown in Madison Square Garden. They did a whole lot of great things before the final seven minutes. That will make it hard to grade, so bear with me here.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
It must feel nice to get away from the wrestling matches that Mitchell had to endure against Toronto and Detroit. Mitchell nestled into a comfortable rhythm against a skilled but less physically imposing defense in New York.
Mitchell was in a groove. He scored 26 points by the third quarter by getting to his spots and pushing the Knicks’ shoddy rim protection to the brink. They had no answer for him once he got to the basket and couldn’t contain him at the point of attack. Mitchell made good reads as a playmaker (for the most part) and also racked up 6 steals in a fantastic three quarters.
Then the fourth quarter happened.
Mitchell’s process went out the window as the ball stopped moving. He dribbled, or stood in the corner motionless, as the Cavs offense sputtered out of control. He didn’t contribute to their collapse defensively, but he didn’t help either
Even before the fourth quarter, Harden had started this game on shaky ground with some unbelievably lazy turnovers. A 30-foot pass that was easily picked off by Mitchell Robinson. Another cross-court bomb that went straight out of bounds. And, being loose with the ball at halfcourt and getting ripped for a layup.
But it only got worse.
Harden was the primary target of New York’s comeback. The Knicks put him in action and scored seemingly every time. Jalen Brunson didn’t even notice he was there. That’s partly because Harden himself didn’t look interested in being there himself.
Grade: F–
Evan Mobley
15 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks
Mobley played one hell of a game before the fourth quarter. He took Karl-Anthony Towns out of his rhythm and helped the Cavs set a strong defensive tone. What happened during the collapse was largely outside of Mobley’s control. He couldn’t help on Brunson’s drives, and had nothing to do but watch as Harden and Mitchell drained the shot clock on the other end.
The Cavs grew stagnant in the fourth quarter. That’s always been the worst version of them. The ball hardly touched Mobley’s hands unless it was a bail-out three-point attempt. That’s not what you want to see happen. But he also can’t control what Harden and Mitchell choose to do with the ball.
Madison Square Garden is where this nightmare first started for Allen. Since then, he’s had quite a lot of success, in my opinion. But this building was always where he’d have the most to gain or lose. So far, Allen has held up his end of the bargain.
Allen grabbed 5 offensive rebounds through the first three quarters, more than the entire Knicks roster. Totally flipping the tables on what happened to him in 2023 by beating everyone else to the ball over and over again. He dominated the paint and had New York searching for answers.
Similar to Mobley, what happened in the fourth quarter is far more on the guards and coaching than anything the bigs could have controlled.
Grade: B-
Dean Wade
10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
For a guy who sometimes goes multiple games without looking at the basket, this was a pretty sweet performance.
Wade has always been a good shooter. It’s part of the reason why it’s frustrating when he doesn’t shoot. Tonight, however, Wade was appropriately aggressive and let it fly for three three-pointers, including a four-point finish. That should have been more than enough to win.
However, the Cavs failed to reap any of the rewards of having Wade out there for his defense. They conceded the switch, allowing Brunson to draw the switch on Harden. The rest is history.
This is more on Kenny Atkinson for the game plan than it is on Wade for allowing the switch. For that, I won’t dock him.
Grade: B+
Max Strus
8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Strus would have blown the lid off this game if he had it going from downtown. His 2-6 shooting is tough considering the quality of looks he had. But make no mistake, Strus brought his usual impact on all of the margins. He arguably should have been out there in place of Harden during the fourth quarter.
Grade: C+
Dennis Schroder
3 points, 5 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers
Schroder’s first stint was a disaster. The Knicks were completely ignoring him, and he shot just 1-6 on those opportunities.
But the Cavs adjusted in the second half. Schroder wisely cut into open space when he was ignored, and that caused the Knicks to panic once he caught the ball. This led to timely assists to Sam Merrill and Jarrett Allen. Schroder finished with 5 assists and 0 turnovers
Still, a 1-9 shooting night isn’t going to cut it.
Grade: D-
Sam Merrill
12 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal
The Knicks played with fire by helping off of Merrill multiple times, and he let them feel the heat. It wasn’t a barn burner or anything, but Merrill hit timely shots and pushed the Cavs to a dominant third quarter that should have given them a large enough cushion to close things in the fourth.
Again, what happened after was not his fault. Merrill fought like hell and nearly hit the winning shot at the end of regulation. It should have never even gotten to that point.
Grade: B
Keon Ellis
2 points, 2 turnovers
Ellis only played a brief stint and looked out of sorts. He settled in a bit towards the end, but never got back on the floor to truly test that.
The Cavaliers led the Knicks by 22 points with less than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night.
Somehow, someway, that lead did not hold. And the Cavaliers did not win.
The Knicks mounted a rally for the ages in a 115-104 overtime win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at Madison Square Garden. And after the game, Charles Barkley tore the Cavaliers to shreds for their performance.
“Oh yeah, hell yeah, that was a choke job. Hell yeah. Hell yeah, that was a choke job. No, that was a choke job. Come on, man,” Charles Barkley said on the “Inside the NBA” postgame show on ESPN. They started taking the air out of the ball with six minutes to go like dummies.”
Cleveland led by two at halftime and then outscored the Knicks 35-23 in third quarter.
After James Harden hit the first of two free-throw attempts with 7:52 left in the fourth, the Cavs led 93-71 and looked well on their way to taking Game 1 on the road.
Whether Harden’s missing the second shot from the line changed the momentum or not, the Knicks rallied to tie the game with 19.3 seconds left.
Mikal Bridges and the Knicks rallied to a 115-104 overtime win over James Harden and the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for the New York PostJalen Brunson goes up for a layup during the Knicks’ Game 1 win. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks then outscored the Cavs 14-3 in overtime as an overjoyed crowd seemed as if it would blow the roof of the Garden.
Harden finished the night with 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting and just 1-for-8 from 3-point range. As a team, Cleveland went 16-of-50 from beyond the arc.
Knicks Merch Shop
SOAR wireless speaker and bottle opener
Customizable jersey
Hydrapeak 30-ounce stainless steel tumbler
ZHATS adjustable cap
Pro Standard double knit full zip hoodie
Ultra Game team crew socks (3-pack)
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.
The Cavaliers can try to get over this “choke” in Game 2 on Thursday night.
Quiet for three quarters, Jalen Brunson threw on his Superman cape when the situation was its most dire.
He scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, carrying the Knicks to a comeback from 22 points down.
His jumper with 19.3 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, and his assist on a Landry Shamet 3-pointer with 1:49 to go iced the dramatic Game 1 victory.
Brunson finished with 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting — his fourth 30-point effort of this postseason.
He also had six assists.
Zero
James Harden had more turnovers (six) than field goals (five).
He also shot 5-for-16 from the field and came up small late in regulation and overtime.
James Harden, who had a rough Game 1, reacts after scoring during the third quarter of the Knicks’ 115-104 overtime win over the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
OG Anunoby’s return didn’t result in Shamet being glued to the bench.
With Josh Hart struggling, coach Mike Brown called on Shamet, and he provided a major jolt with nine points on three 3-pointers, and terrific defense on Mitchell.
In the 16 minutes Shamet was on the floor, the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers by 20 points.
Key stat
22: The Cavaliers lead in the fourth quarter.
Quote of the night
“I’m definitely thankful, because they could’ve walked out if they wanted to,”
— Jalen Brunson on the Garden crowd’s role in the comeback.
Billy Donovan is also being considered for the position, vacant after Orlando fired Jamahl Mosley on May 4 after the Magic fell to the Pistons 4-3 — blowing a 3-1 lead — in their first-round playoff series. Mosley was hired by Pelicans on Monday.
Jeff Van Gundy has been the Clippers assistant coach the past two seasons. NBAE via Getty Images
Van Gundy, who was the head coach of the Knicks from 1995-2002 and led them to the NBA Finals in the 1998-99 season, has a 430-318 career record during his 10 seasons as a head coach with New York and the Houston Rockets.
Before becoming the Knicks coach, Van Gundy was the team’s assistant coach for nearly seven seasons, many under the leadership of Pat Riley.
After being a top NBA TV analyst for ESPN, Van Gundy returned to the sidelines as a Clippers coach for the past two seasons under Tyronn Lue.
He made headlines earlier this season for allegedly confronting star Chris Paul on the Clippers’ team plane over a changed coaching assignment before the point guard’s exit from the franchise.
Top Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney is also expected to interview for the Orlando opening, as well as the vacant Bulls job.
Per The Stein Line, former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is “not involved” in the process at this point.
Jalen Brunson flipped the game on its head as the Knicks turned around a 22-point deficit with under eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter and kept the momentum going for a 115-104 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday.
The Knicks, who led by seven after the first quarter, were outscored 67-46 in the middle quarters, and the energy of Madison Square Garden went from deliriousness when the home side’s lead hit 11 in the second quarter to palpable anxiety by the start of the fourth.
And then, like so many times this season, the game changed on the back of Brunson as he scored 11 straight points as the Knicks used an 18-1 run to get back into the game. Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet each hit crucial threes to tie the game, before Burnson’s floated bank shot sent the game to OT.
The Cavs were dead on their feet for the overtime period and never got off the mat as the home team outscored them 14-3. The final run for the Knicks to steal the win: 44-11 from the 7:52 mark in the fourth quarter.
“Found a way, I don’t have an answer for you,” Brunson said on the broadcast about the turnaround. “We got some stops, we kept fighting, we kept believing, just kept chipping away. They were playing great basketball, just found a way. Again, I don’t really have an answer for you.”
After a poor shooting start, New York shot 16-for-28 (57 percent) in the fourth quarter and overtime, including 6-for-9 from three. Cleveland was 7-for-23 in that span, including going 1-for-7 in overtime.
Here are the takeaways...
- The overtime period saw the Knicks grab their first lead of the second half with OG Anunoby hitting two at the line, Brunson hitting a floater, and Anunoby driving for a layup to make it a six-point game as Cleveland started the overtime by missing its first four attempts.
With 109 seconds to play, Brunson found a wide-open Shamet and the lead was 110-101, forcing a Cavs timeout. Max Strus answered with a three, but with steals from Bridges and Brunson, and the game was finally put to bed by Anunoby at the line.
- The fourth didn't start well with the Knicks committing three more turnovers (15 for the game) and missing their first four shots. The Cavs got a second four-point play of the game and Donovan Mitchell hit from three to give him 29 points on the night to put the lead at 21 with eight minutes left.
If the run were to come, there was a moment: Brunson hit a layup, Shamet drew a charge and hit on a three from a Karl-Anthony Towns offensive board. A Mike Brown timeout with the deficit at 17 with 6:41 to play didn't kill momentum as Brunson took the game over, leading an 18-1 run that cut it to a five-point deficit with 3:30 to play, forcing a Cavs timeout.
Evan Mobley hit a contested three to stem the tide, but Bridges answered with a step-back three, which just beat the shot clock to answer back. He connected again from deep, and after Towns blocked Mitchell, Shamet’s three bounced in to tie the game with 45 seconds to play.
It was a 28-6 run before James Harden’s jumper was answered with Brunson’s floater bank shot with 19.3 to play to level the score at 101. Sam Merrill’s three-pointer attempt with three seconds to play was more than halfway down when it rimmed out to send the game to overtime. The Cavs never recovered.
- The rest vs. rust debate got a boost in the early goings as the Knicks’ offense had a staccato beginning, missing seven of their first nine attempts (0-for-5 from behind the arc), a trend that continued throughout the first half. The Cavs were using their physicality to stick on all the cutters, making it tough on Towns to find a man in his playmaker role. The referees were letting both teams get acquainted with each other, with just 14 free throws attempted in the first half (only four by the home team).
New York’s defense, which has been quite good in the playoffs, didn’t appear rusty at all, holding Cleveland to 5-for-15 shooting to start, and a 6-0 spurt capped by Brunson converting a reverse layup to give him eight early forced a Kenny Atkinson timeout with the Knicks ahead 14-13 with 3:46 to play in the first. The timeout didn't work: Bridges picked Strus' pocket leading to a dunk, Dennis Schröder's missed jumper led to a Burnson jumper, Mobley's travel led to a Robinson alley-oop and the Knicks were up seven. (New York’s defense forced five turnovers in the first.)
New York missed its first eight from deep before Jordan Clarkson got one to go, his first in the playoffs after he was 0-for-8 to that point. The shooting was great for either team in the first quarter: Knicks 10-for-24 (41.7 percent) and 1-for-10 from three, Cavs 6-for-22 (27.3 percent) and 2-for-12 from three, with the home side up 23-16.
- The Knicks’ cold outside shooting continued (0-for-3) to start the second, but they made all five attempts inside the paint as they attacked the basket. The game’s physical nature continued, and New York benefited as another steal led to a Burnson layup before Anunoby connected from deep for his first points of the night to make it an 11-point Knicks lead midway through the second. That was the high-water mark as the Cavs responded: Merrill, their hero in Game 7, connected from deep and Harden pulled up from 30 feet for an 8-0 spurt, forcing a Brown timeout with 4:25 left in the half, with the head coach frustrated by a few defensive mistakes.
Mitchell, who had seven in the first, connected on a four-point play to cut the lead to one as New York couldn't get much of any rhythm offensively. Six Cavs turnovers helped (giving them 11 in the half), but Strus' three with 68 seconds remaining leveled the score before a late Mitchell three gave Cleveland a 48-46 halftime edge. The difference: Cleveland rebounding to go 6-for-9 from deep in the game's second stanza.
In the first half, the Knicks shot 18-for-24 (75 percent) from two and 2-for-19 (10.5 percent) from three, a big change after they were shooting lights out in the first two rounds (41 percent).
Spike Lee congratulates New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) during overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
- Towns, who had four assists and two points in the first half, missed from deep, got the rebound and hit from deep to cut the lead to one early in the third. But another ill-advised offensive foul spoiled things moments later as he grabbed Jarrett Allen's arm after he dished it to Josh Hart, wiping away what was originally called a third foul on Allen (and potentially a Flagrant 1, too). Cleveland’s challenge meant it would be KAT’s second foul and fourth turnover.
Mitchell continued to put his mark on the game, grabbing three early steals to give him six on the night and scoring six points to give him 22 for the game. That was all part of a 13-5 Cavs period to put Cleveland up nine as Brown called another timeout under five minutes into the third.
The deficit hit 13 points with 3:55 to go (the largest lead for either team to that point) as the Cavs started to find more holes in the Knicks' defense, and on the other end, New York was 5-for-12 in the quarter (2-for-4 from deep). Cleveland went with a hack-a-Robinson strategy, trying to keep New York out of rhythm while holding a 14-point edge. He went 1-for-6 on three trips, as any lingering excitement in MSG was gone, and the anxiety of the crowd was noticeable.
In the quarter, the Knicks went 9-for-18 from the line (Robinson 2-for-8, Brunson 5-for-8), committed five turnovers (to give them 13 for the night), and were down 83-69 entering the fourth.
- Bridges finished with 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting with five rebounds, two steals, and an assist. He was a plus-12 in 42 minutes.
Shamet had huge stretches on the floor, providing both offense and defense. He finished with nine points and was a team-high plus-25 in 17 minutes off the bench.
Anunoby had 13 points on 2-for-9 shooting with five rebounds, two assists, and was a plus-15 in 34 minutes in his first action back from a hamstring injury.
Towns finished with 13 points on 6-for-14 shooting with 13 rebounds (four offensive) and five assists, but committed seven turnovers and was a plus-13 in 40 minutes.
It wasn’t a night for Hart, who sat for the last 10 minutes of the fourth quarter in favor of Shamet, as he finished wth 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists, but he was a minus-23 in 31 minutes.
Robinson had four points and six rebounds (four offensive) and was a minus-8 in 14 minutes.
For the Cavs, Mitchell had 29 on 12-for-23 shooting (4-for-11 from deep) with five rebounds, three assists, six steals, but was a minus-13 in 41 minutes. He missed his two shots in overtime as Cleveland went away from him in the extra quarter.
Mobley and Harden both finished with 15 points, Dean Wade and Allen had 10. Merill scored 12 off the bench and was a team-worst minus-17 in 28 minutes.
For the game, New York shot 47.7 percent from the floor (31.3 percent from deep) and 65.6 percent from the line. The visitors shot 40 percent overall (32 percent from deep) and 69.6 percent from the line.
Game MVP: Jalen Brunson
Who else? He finished with 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting (1-for-6 from deep, 7-for-10 from the line) with six assists, five rebounds, three steals, and was a plus-15 in 47 minutes.
