Knicks win Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals in OT over Cavaliers

The New York Knicks opened the Eastern Conference finals with a 115-104 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, May 19, after a rally that turned a near-certain loss into a 1-0 series lead. Jalen Brunson scored 38 points, according to the Associated Press, and the Knicks recovered from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter. New York trailed 93-71 with 7:52 remaining before closing regulation on a 30-8 run and then pulling away in overtime. (apnews.com) (nba.com) The result gave New York the opening game at Madison Square Garden and extended a postseason run that has already pushed the Knicks into their first conference finals appearance in years. USA Today described the finish as an “epic rally,” while CBS Sports called it a historic comeback in Game 1. ### How big was the comeback, exactly? The Knicks erased a 22-point fourth-quarter hole, which the Associated Press described as one of the NBA’s greatest postseason comebacks and New York’s biggest playoff comeback. (apnews.com) Brunson scored 17 of his 38 points over the final eight minutes of regulation and overtime, helping flip a game Cleveland had controlled deep into the fourth quarter. New York finished regulation on a 30-8 burst after falling behind by 22. (usatoday.com) In overtime, the Knicks never trailed, according to the game recap on NBA.com. ### What did Brunson do to change the game? Jalen Brunson supplied the scoring that kept New York alive when the game was slipping away. The Associated Press said he finished with a game-high 38 points and drove the late surge with 17 points across the closing stretch of regulation and overtime. (apnews.com) USA Today’s follow-up takeaways said Brunson was “special” in the comeback, as the Knicks moved within three wins of the NBA Finals. (gmanetwork.com) That performance put the ball in Brunson’s hands for much of the late offense and gave New York a clear closer when Cleveland’s lead started to unravel. ### How did Cleveland let it get away? Cleveland held a 93-71 lead with 7:52 left in regulation before its offense stalled and New York’s pressure increased. (apnews.com) The Associated Press account said the Cavaliers were outscored 30-8 to end regulation, turning a comfortable lead into an overtime game. Charles Barkley called the collapse “a choke job,” according to a USA Today network report published after the game. That reaction reflected how sudden the swing was after Cleveland had appeared in control entering the final minutes. (usatoday.com) ### Where does the series stand now? The Knicks lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals 1-0 after the overtime win. NBA.com’s game page lists the result as Game 1 of the series and shows New York taking the early edge over Cleveland. (apnews.com) Yahoo Sports and ESPN both list Knicks-Cavaliers as one of the two conference-final matchups, alongside Spurs-Thunder in the West. The Game 1 result means New York has already taken home-court advantage pressure off Cleveland and forced the Cavaliers to respond in the next outing. (raiderswire.usatoday.com) ### When is the next game? Game 2 is scheduled for Friday, May 22, according to the published series schedule. Sports Illustrated’s Cavaliers schedule page lists the dates and television information for the series, while NBA.com shows New York ahead 1-0 after Tuesday’s opener. (nba.com) Friday’s game will send the same two teams back onto the floor with Cleveland trying to avoid a 2-0 deficit and New York trying to bring a two-game lead out of the opening home stand. (si.com)