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.
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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.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket 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
Just when you think the Cleveland Cavaliers have finally put things together, they find a new way to disappoint you.
After pushing their lead to 22 points at the start of the fourth quarter, they collapsed over the final eight minutes, as they allowed the New York Knicks to close the fourth on a 30-8 run to send the game to overtime.
The Cavs’ free fall continued in the extra frames. The Knicks dominated overtime 14-3 to come away with what somehow became a 115-104 victory in Game 1.
Like their Christmas Day showcase, starting and finishing games in Madison Square Garden was an issue.
Cleveland couldn’t establish any kind of offensive rhythm after opening up an early 10-4 lead after the first four minutes. They scored just six points for the remainder of the quarter, as they went 2-12 from beyond the arc in the opening frame.
Fortunately for them, the Knicks looked like a team that hadn’t played a game in over a week. They went 1-10 from three, but were able to scrounge together enough offense to take a seven-point lead after the first.
New York pushed the margin to 11 early in the second quarter before the Cavs finally woke up.
Cleveland stormed back in the second quarter thanks to the play of their star guards. James Harden settled the momentum as he scored five points and had two helpers in the second. Donovan Mitchell caught fire, scoring seven points in the final two minutes of the half.
This fueled a 21-8 run, allowing the Cavs to take a slim two-point lead into the break.
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Cleveland hit the accelerator in the third.
Evan Mobley, who wasn’t able to get much going in the first half, got rolling in the third quarter. He took over defensively, deterring shots at the rim and grabbing misses on the glass. This was in addition to consistently beating mismatches on the other end. He had seven points in the third to help Cleveland extend their lead.
Mitchell continued his impressive play in the third. He had 10 points and three steals to keep the momentum going, as he led Cleveland to a 35-point quarter. This gave them a 14-point advantage heading into the fourth.
Cleveland extended their lead to 22 before the Knicks started to fight back.
New York showed why they’re heavily favored in this series. They completely controlled the final seven minutes of the fourth with a 30-8 run
Jalen Brunson, who was held in check for most of the game, came alive. He scored 15 points in the quarter. This forced the Cavs to start sending double teams his way, which allowed New York’s outside shooters to get going.
The Knicks went 5-7 from three in the fourth. This included two huge triples from both Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet.
The Cavs had a chance to tie the game on their final possession. Sam Merrill got a clean look from three, the ball went halfway down, but popped out.
The Knicks dominated overtime. They controlled every aspect of the extra frame, as they were able to cruise to a comfortable win.
Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson made several questionable decisions down the stretch.
First, he didn’t use his timeouts when the Knicks were going on their run. He waited until it ballooned to 18-1 before deciding to use one. Then, he allowed Brunson to target Harden late in the game instead of subbing him out in situations that he could. And finally, his solution to this was trapping Brunson late, which led to wide-open shooters elsewhere.
Mitchell led the Cavs in scoring. He finished with 29 points on 12-23 shooting to go along with six steals.
Mobley and Harden both had 15 points.
Brunson led all scorers with 38 points on 15-29 shooting with six assists. Bridges contributed 18 points.
Resiliency and an ability to bounce back from terrible collapses have separated this group from previous Cavs playoff teams. They’ve responded well after disastrous Game 6 performances in both series to win Game 7. They also climbed back from a 2-0 hole against the one-seed in the last series.
We know they get back up, but this was a golden opportunity to assert control of this series. They had a chance to steal home court here and make Game 2 a near must-win for the Knicks. Now, they have to pick themselves off the mat and see if they can head back to Cleveland with the series tied at one.
Game 2 is back in Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Tip-off is at 8 PM.
It was perfectly poetic. Everything came full circle.
The Knicks scripted it perfectly. Even the overtime part.
Last year’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals produced an epic Knicks choke, a moment that immediately went down in the worst parts of the franchise’s lore. They spoke Monday about learning their lesson from that game and wanting to right that wrong.
Jalen Brunson celebrates during the Knicks’ 115-104 comeback overtime win over the Cavaliers in Game 1 on on May 19, 2026 at the Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
And then, after a three-quarter malaise, they delivered their own comeback for the ages to begin this year’s conference finals. This one will immediately cement itself in the best part of Knicks lore.
They overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit in an epic 115-104 Game 1 win over the Cavaliers Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
It was the biggest postseason comeback in franchise history. It was the second-biggest in NBA history, behind the Clippers’ win over the Grizzlies on April 29, 2012.
In the play-by-play era, no team that was down by 20 or more points in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter had ever won.
Now, there’s one.
Landry Shamet played a critical part in Knicks comeback. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
After going down by 22 points with 7:52 left in the game, the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers 44-11 the rest of the way. They shot 71 percent from the field — compared to the Cavaliers’ 22 percent — during that stretch.
“Definitely thankful,” Jalen Brunson said of the fans. “Because they could’ve walked out.”
The Knicks looked dead in the water, well on their way to a concerning blowout loss. Their win probability on ESPN had reached 0.1 percent. They were bricking in embarrassing style — going just 4-for-23 from 3-point range across the first three quarters.
Then, the real Knicks reemerged. And the floodgates opened.
Jalen Brunson looks to make a move during the Knicks’ Game 1 win in the Eastern Conference finals. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
They rattled off a 30-8 run to end the fourth quarter and force overtime. Brunson had 15 of those points, going 7-for-9 from the field.
Mikal Bridges drilled two huge 3-pointers during that stretch. Landry Shamet — who closed the game and played all of overtime in place of Josh Hart — drilled the game-tying 3-pointer with 45.0 seconds left. The shot bounced high off the rim and fell into the basket, eerily similar to Tyrese Haliburton’s infamous shot last year.
After James Harden reestablished the Cavaliers lead, Brunson tied it again with an off-balance floater off the glass.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson watched it all happen, curiously waiting way too long to call a timeout and leaving Harden on Brunson. Predictably, Brunson cooked him. He scored 11 straight Knicks points.
“Obviously, we don’t get it done if Jalen Brunson doesn’t play like one of the MVP guys in the league,” coach Mike Brown said. “He was phenomenal.”
Added Atkinson: “Brunson obviously took over at the end.”
Jimmy Fallon celebrates during overtime of the Knicks’ Game 1 win. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Knicks shot 13-for-22 from the field and 5-for-7 from deep in the fourth quarter.
By overtime, the Cavaliers had capitulated. OG Anunoby scored nine of the Knicks’ 14 points in the extra period. Shamet’s 3-pointer gave the Knicks a nine-point lead with 1:49 left. MSG, which had gone quiet for much of the game, was in the type of frenzy that makes this building special.
“This team, all we want to do is make the city proud and bring this city wins,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “To be able to accomplish that on a night where it didn’t seem like it was gonna happen is an honor. It’s truly something special.”
Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates a 3-pointer in Game 1. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Donovan Mitchell and Harden shot a combined 2-for-13 from the field in the fourth quarter and overtime. They completely fell apart. Mitchell had 26 points after three quarters, then scored just three in the fourth quarter and overtime.
The Knicks, after leading by 11 early in the game, were outscored by 21 points in the second and third quarters. Their transformed offense — playing through Towns as a facilitator from the elbows — was being stifled by the Cavaliers big man tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Those rest versus rust debates seemed like they were providing a clear answer for the latter.
But down the stretch, the Knicks’ rest seemed to give them an advantage.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen that in a playoff game,” Brown said. “I don’t know if I’ve been part of it.”
These were the Knicks that went on a seven-game tour de force, which is now extended to eight games. The Knicks that had fans — during eight days of rest — as bullish as they’ve been this century. The Knicks that are supposed to be favorites in the series.
They certainly know the crushing feeling now circulating around the Cavaliers. It completely set the tone for the rest of last year’s conference finals and became the defining and lasting memory of their season.
One year later, they completely flipped the script. Perhaps it will set the tone for how this series plays out.
And, maybe, become a defining moment of this season’s continuing magic ride.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Assistant General Manager Matt Riccardi of the Dallas Mavericks smiles during 2025 NBA Draft Lottery on May 12, 2025 in at Chicago, Illinois at McCormick Convention Center. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks made a major shake-up on Tuesday night, agreeing to part ways with now former head coach Jason Kidd. That move truly closes the book on everything even tangentially related to the Luka Doncic trade and gives Cooper Flagg a truly fresh start after only his rookie year. Further, the move demonstrates that Masai Ujiri was serious when he stated there would be a top-to-bottom evaluation of the franchise.
We previously speculated on the topic of Jason Kidd’s departure but gave little thought to Matt Riccardi’s role at the time. Now it seems he will be joining Jason Kidd on the bus out of town.
I’m told Mavericks executive Matt Riccardi is also departing the organization. Riccardi, who served as Dallas’ co-general manager this season in the wake of Nico Harrison’s exit, was the runner-up to Masai Ujiri in Patrick Dumont’s process to find a new president of basketball… https://t.co/LPXZR6JNen
Ironically, Riccardi was scheduled to be one of the Mavs’ representatives at the NBA Draft prior to Ujiri joining the franchise. When he intimated after Ujiri was hired that he still intended to be there, it seemed to indicate he was part of the franchise’s future. Now we know he is not.
This isn’t all that surprising, as he was essentially runner-up for the spot Ujiri ultimately claimed just weeks ago. Riccardi started his tenure with the Mavericks in 2022 as the Senior Director of Pro Personnel. The following year, he was promoted to Assistant GM under Nico Harrison, though it is widely believed he was uninvolved in the infamous trade of Luka Doncic. Once Harrison was ousted in November, 2025, Riccardi shared the GM duties with Michael Finley. Together, they orchestrated the trade that shipped Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. That trade, of course, was the beginning of a season of change for the Mavs who looked to undo one of the more difficult times in franchise history, post-Doncic trade. Ironically, he is now a part of that very change he helped to usher in.
Mavs fans everywhere now wait with bated breath to hear what Finley’s front-office fate may be.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA — One of the most highly anticipated men's college basketball games for the 2026-27 season is up in the air, with broadcasting rights casting doubt.
Reigning national champion Michigan and Duke had previously announced they would play on Dec. 21 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Vibes changed around the game when Duke announced a multi-year partnership with Amazon Prime, giving the platform exclusive streaming rights to multiple Duke basketball games each season. The game against Michigan is part of the deal.
While the ACC and ESPN were supportive of the deal, the same can't be said for the Big Ten and its broadcast partner, Fox, putting the game's status in question.
The main issue is the Big Ten believes Michigan should get a cut of the revenue from the game, and New York is a Big Ten market, making it an issue for Fox.
"What's the structure of how we got this game made in the first place, and what are we going to do about it?" Big Ten commissioner Tony Pettiti told the media at the Big Ten spring meetings on Tuesday, May 19.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said his staff knew Amazon Prime would broadcast the game, and made sure it was understood the game needed to go through the Big Ten. Now, he and Duke athletic director Nina King are "working through" ensuring the game takes place.
"Hopefully it'll be resolved. It's a great college basketball game, given who we are, who they are in college basketball," Manuel told reporters. "I love the opportunity to play them, but we just have to make sure everything was right."
The two teams played each other last season, a February contest played in Washington, D.C., that was put together by a third-party organizer, the Gazelle Group. That game was broadcast by ESPN.
"I just believe that we've got to have that spirit of partnership that we felt strongly about where that game should sit. We'll see how it ends up getting resolved," Pettiti said. "There's a couple of solutions. We'll see."
The issue can result in the game either moving to a different network − which could complicate Duke's deal with Prime − or moving out of New York to a location that isn't a Big Ten market. If it can't get resolved, the game can be called off entirely and become a casualty to broadcasting rights.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin offered his thoughts on the situation, believing there's "no chance it goes through. Not when Fox has paid hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars for the rights."
He added the Bruins have been approached by streaming platforms to air non-conference games, but has told them they can't be done within the Big Ten footprint.
Manuel said he can't anticipate what changes might happen to make the game come to fruition, but he's confident in the game happening.
"I don't know how much changes. We're working through it, and what I'm looking forward to is playing the game," he said.
The A-listers were out for the start of the Eastern Conference finals at Madison Square Garden.
The usual Knicks superfans – along with some notable additions – were on hand for Game 1 against the Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
Longtime Knicks fans, actor Michael J. Fox and wife Tracy Pollan, comedian John Leguizamo, “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon and rockstar Lenny Kravitz were in the building. Kravitz was sitting next to Oscar-winning Dustin Hoffman and his son Jake.
“Sopranos” stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa also made the pilgrimage to “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” along with former mayor Michael Bloomberg and Grammy-nominated singer Maggie Rogers.
Ben Stiller (l to r.), Christine Taylor, Michael J. Fox, Tracy Pollen, and Timothee Chalamet in attendance during the first quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
They joined Timothee Chalemet, Ben Stiller with his wife Christine Taylor, Tracy Morgan and Spike Lee, who are regulars for big games at the Garden
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Rapper Fabolous performed at halftime.
They were all there to see the Knicks begin the next stage of their quest to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, as the franchise has not won it all since 1973.
Dustin Hoffman attends the game between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks are coming off an impressive sweep of the 76ers in the second round, allowing star OG Anunoby to heal up the hamstring injury he suffered against Philly. Anunoby was back in the starting lineup.
Cleveland, on the other hand, had to grind out a series against the top-seeded Pistons, losing Game 6 but cruising by Detroit in Game 7 on the road.
Actor Michael Imperioli on celebrity row during Game 1, Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
May 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Koa Peat participates in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
For the past year or more, Koa Peat’s status as a future NBA Draft first round pick was a foregone conclusion. After Peat’s lackluster showing at last week’s NBA Draft Combine, that assumption is being put to the test.
The Arizona forward has slipped in three post-combine mock drafts, putting to question whether Peat should return to college for another year or stay in the NBA Draft. Peat had one of the worst shooting performances in recent combine history, causing draft analysts to question whether he’s deserving of a first round pick.
Peat went 6 of 25 in the combine’s spot-up shooting drill, 6 of 25 from 3-point range and 15 of 30 shooting off the dribble. The 6-foot-7 Peat tested well in agility drills, but his poor shooting form was the talk of the combine.
“It’s not the results, it’s how it looked,” 247Sports’ Isaac Trotter said this week. “It was a release that just looked funky, uncomfortable, weird. He’s trying to get a little bit more arc on his three-point jumper is what he said. It looks like he’s just remaking it at the wrong time.”
Now that draft analysts have had a few days to digest what they saw at the combine, the verdict is starting to trickle out on Peat’s draft stock: He’s moving in the wrong direction.
NBC Sports’ Raphielle Johnson and Kurt Helin’s most recent mock draft has Peat not listed in the first round. Neither does Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor.
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo released his mock draft today, which has Peat going 27th to the Boston Celtics.
Woo wrote: “Peat was a hot topic at the combine, as teams expressed concern over what appeared to be fully reworked jump-shot mechanics as he struggled in shooting drills. The door remains open for him to return to Arizona, which would give him additional time to solve those issues, with his shot viewed as the primary factor holding him back from having a solid NBA career. Whether he figures it out, his future might ultimately be as a small-ball five, a role that would allow him to use his strength and skill to his advantage while mitigating the potential negative impact of his shot.
If Peat stays in the draft, teams picking in the 20s will have to consider investing in his development, noting his winning history, sturdy frame, and potential two-way versatility, provided he starts to make open jumpers. The Celtics have done a strong job with internal development and could view this as a value opportunity if he falls.”
If the mock drafts are any indication of how NBA franchises view Peat, then his fall presents a valid question of whether he should return to Arizona for a sophomore season or risk not being taken in the first round.
Peat’s deadline for a decision is coming up quickly. Early draft entrants looking to maintain their eligibility have until May 27 at 11:59 p.m. EST to completely withdraw from the NBA Draft pool.
Arizona will have its answer on Peat’s decision no later than May 27, the deadline to withdraw and maintain college eligibility.
Jan 4, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) talkes with Assistant Coach Steve Hetzel, prior to the game against the Denver Nuggets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The New Orleans Pelicans hiring team did its best Reggie Evans impersonation this week, scooping up Jamahl Mosley in a ferocious flash. The Orlando Magic fired him as their head coach on May 4, and the Pels signed him as their own two weeks later.
However, the summer’s head coaching candidate that Brooklyn Nets fans care most about remains available as does one of the team’s fan favorites are still out there — with at least one team still considering them.
This week on his substack, Marc Stein reported that Jordi Fernandez’s No. 2 and longtime friend, Steve Hetzel, along with former Nets forward Jared Dudley remain head coaching targets for the Portland Trail Blazers. They also seem to have some new competition hailing from the Twin Cities.
“League sources tell The Stein Line that the Blazers, meanwhile, have expressed interest in Minnesota assistant coach Micah Nori in addition to previously reported candidates Jared Dudley and Hetzel,” Stein wrote.
In the same substack, Jake Fischer later confirmed that Hetzel got as close as you could to the NOLA job before it ultimately went to Mosley: the short list. The job is open because new owner, Tom Dundon, had made it clear that another coach with a Nets connection, Tiago Splitter, will not return as head coach. Splitter, who was a Nets assistant and player development coach for five years, was elevated to the top job in Portland the day after head coach Chauncey Billups was suspended indefinitely following his arrest on illegal gambling charges.
“(Splitter) remains a candidate for the full-time post on some level along with various assistant coaches we’ve reported on like Micah Nori (Timberwolves), Jared Dudley (Nuggets), Greg St. Jean (Lakers) and Brooklyn’s Steve Hetzel, who was a finalist for the New Orleans job,” Fischer wrote.
Hetzel had been an assistant coach in Portland between 2021 and 2024 before joining the Nets. He also has had assistant coaching gigs in Detroit, Charlotte and Orlando. He served as head coach of Cleveland’s G League team early in his career as well as Portland and Brooklyn’s Summer League teams in recent years. He ran the Nets’ team in Las Vegas the last two years.
In addition, Hetzel has been involved in the Nets draft process, having been frequently shown in last year’s SCOUT series that highlighted the 2025 draft process. With another big pick to make in about a month, then two summer leagues after that, we’ll know soon if he’ll be back again helping out here … or elsewhere.
The fast food chain, which is known for their witty banter on social media, quipped on Tuesday, May 19, that they want to salute "the Alien" with a name change and are considering a significant revamp of their menu to honor his French heritage.
"might change my name to Wemby’s and only serve french fries after last night’s game," Wendy's posted on X.
might change my name to Wemby’s and only serve french fries after last night’s game
