Knicks beat Cavaliers Game 1 OT

Jalen Brunson gave New York the shot-making and control it needed late, and the Knicks opened the Eastern Conference finals with a 115-104 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 19 at Madison Square Garden. New York trailed by 22 points in the fourth quarter before closing regulation with a surge that forced overtime, then outscored Cleveland 14-3 in the extra period. (cbssports.com) Brunson finished with 38 points and six assists, while Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 29 points. The result gave the Knicks a 1-0 series lead after a game that turned on late execution, turnovers and Brunson’s half-court offense. ### How big was the hole New York climbed out of? (si.com) The Knicks were down 22 in the fourth quarter before reversing the game, according to the Associated Press recap carried by CBS Sports. That made the rally one of the largest postseason comebacks on record and the biggest in Knicks playoff history, according to game recaps and postgame statistical summaries. Fox Sports’ box score shows Cleveland led 106-84 before New York’s late push, and the quarter-by-quarter line captures how abruptly the game changed: the Knicks won the fourth 32-18 and overtime 14-3. Cleveland scored only three points in the extra session after controlling long stretches of the second half. (cbssports.com) ### What did Brunson and the Knicks get from their stars? Brunson scored 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting and added six assists, according to the official box score. Karl-Anthony Towns supplied 13 rebounds for New York, which finished with a 47-38 edge on the glass and shot 48% from the field. (cbssports.com) The Knicks did not win this with three-point volume. New York made 10 of 32 from deep, while Cleveland made 16 of 50. The difference came more from shot quality inside the arc, rebounding and the late-game possessions that Brunson steadied as the Cavaliers’ offense stalled. (foxsports.com) ### Where did Cleveland lose control? Cleveland committed 19 turnovers, compared with 17 by New York, and the Cavaliers’ offense fell apart late after building what looked like a game-deciding lead. The official team stats show Cleveland shot 40% overall and 32% from three, numbers that were enough for most of the night but not once the Knicks started generating stops and second chances. (sportsdata.usatoday.com) Mitchell’s 29 points and six steals kept Cleveland in command for long stretches, and Evan Mobley had 14 rebounds and three blocks. But the Cavaliers managed only three points in overtime, and the late collapse became the central fact of the opener after they had controlled the middle quarters. (sportsdata.usatoday.com) ### Why does this opener matter in the shape of the series? New York entered the series as the No. 3 seed after a 53-29 regular season and a sweep of Philadelphia in the conference semifinals, according to CBS Sports’ series preview. Cleveland came in as the No. 4 seed, making the matchup a series between two teams that had already pushed past higher expectations in the East. (sportsdata.usatoday.com) NBA.com’s recap called the finish a “miraculous” comeback, and the opener immediately shifted the pressure onto Cleveland to avoid going down 0-2 before the series moves on. That is an inference from the series score and schedule, rather than a direct team statement. (sportsdata.usatoday.com) ### When do they play again? Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, before the series changes sites later in the round, according to published series schedules. Cleveland and New York will meet again with the Cavaliers trying to level the Eastern Conference finals after letting Game 1 slip away. (nba.com) (si.com)