Knicks rally credits Robinson, McBride

The New York Knicks’ comeback in Game 1 turned first on Jalen Brunson’s scoring burst, but the postgame conversation quickly widened to the players around him. New York beat Cleveland 115-104 in overtime on Tuesday, May 19, after trailing by 22 points in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. (nba.com) The NBA’s game summary said the Knicks closed on a 44-11 run and opened overtime with nine straight points. Last Word on Sports, in a May 20 analysis, singled out center Mitchell Robinson and guard Miles McBride as two of the “unsung heroes” of the turnaround. (lastwordonsports.com) ### How big was the hole New York climbed out of? (nba.com) The Knicks trailed 93-71 with 7:52 left in regulation before reversing the game. The NBA’s recap called it one of the league’s greatest postseason comebacks, with Brunson finishing with 38 points after repeatedly attacking late. Donovan Mitchell scored 29 for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers did not score enough once New York’s pressure rose in the final minutes. Sporting News’ game report said New York erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to take the opener. That matched the scale of the swing shown in the NBA recap, which tracked the Knicks’ 44-11 finish from Cleveland’s late lead through overtime. (nba.com) ### Why did Robinson’s role stand out after the game? Mitchell Robinson was not the headline scorer, but his value fits the kind of possession-by-possession game New York had to win late. (nba.com) Last Word on Sports identified Robinson as one of the two reserve or support pieces that changed the texture of the comeback, pointing to his work outside the box-score spotlight. Basketball-Reference lists the May 19 game as the official 115-104 overtime result, and the broader box-score record places Robinson inside a game that turned on extra possessions, stops and late-game control. (sportingnews.com) Last Word’s analysis framed Robinson’s impact in that context rather than as a scoring line. ### Where did McBride show up in the turnaround? Miles McBride drew similar attention because New York needed backcourt minutes that held up under pressure once the game flipped. Last Word on Sports grouped McBride with Robinson as the two players whose contributions sat beneath the star billing but mattered in the overtime win. (lastwordonsports.com) The NBA recap credited three Knicks with 13 points behind Brunson and Mikal Bridges, while also noting OG Anunoby’s late impact after a slow return from a strained right hamstring. That left room for the postgame focus on lineup pieces and defensive minutes that helped stabilize New York once the rally began. (basketball-reference.com) ### Was this only about Brunson, or about New York’s depth too? Jalen Brunson remained the central figure because he scored 38 and tied the game with 19 seconds left in regulation. But the way the game ended invited a second look at the Knicks’ depth, especially because the rally extended beyond regulation and continued with a 9-0 start in overtime. (lastwordonsports.com) Last Word on Sports made that exact case in its May 20 follow-up, arguing that Robinson and McBride were the lower-profile players who helped turn a near-certain loss into a series lead. That was analysis, not the official game recap, but it aligned with the shape of a comeback built on more than one scorer. (nba.com) ### What comes next in the series? Game 2 is set for Thursday, May 21, at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden, according to NBA.com’s series page. The Knicks lead the Eastern Conference finals 1-0, with Games 3 and 4 scheduled for May 23 and May 25. (nba.com) (lastwordonsports.com)