Knicks win Game 1 of Eastern Conference finals in overtime

The New York Knicks left Game 1 with more than a road win. They left with a series lead, control of home-court advantage and a comeback that changed the shape of the Eastern Conference finals in one night. New York beat Cleveland 115-104 in overtime on May 19 after trailing by 22 points with 7:52 left in the fourth quarter. (nba.com) Jalen Brunson scored 38 points, and the Knicks closed the game on a 44-11 run to take a 1-0 lead. For most of the night, Cleveland had the game where it wanted it. The Cavaliers led 93-71 late in the fourth quarter and had controlled long stretches behind Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. (nba.com) Then the offense stopped, the Knicks found enough stops to string together possessions, and overtime turned into a New York finish. ### How big was the comeback, exactly? The Knicks were down 22 with 7:52 remaining in regulation before the game flipped. NBA.com said New York outscored Cleveland 44-11 from that point through the end of overtime, forcing the extra period with a 30-8 push and then winning by 11. (nba.com) The final score masked how sudden the collapse was. Cleveland shot 22% over the rest of the game after taking the 93-71 lead, according to NBA.com’s live recap, while New York kept extending possessions and found late scoring from Brunson and Landry Shamet. (nba.com) ### What did Brunson do to change the game? Jalen Brunson scored 38 points, with 17 of them coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. NBA.com’s recap credited him with leading the rally and quoted him after the game saying, “Find a way. We got some stops, kept fighting, kept believing. (nba.com) We just kept chipping away.” Landry Shamet added one of the key late baskets. NBA.com’s play-by-play recap highlighted Shamet’s 3-pointer with 1:49 left in overtime, a shot that pushed the Knicks to a 110-101 lead and gave New York separation after Cleveland had already lost control of regulation. (nba.com) ### Where did Cleveland lose its grip? Donovan Mitchell finished with 29 points, and Evan Mobley had 15 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. But NBA.com’s recap noted that Mitchell’s last basket came with 8:19 left in the fourth quarter, just before Cleveland’s offense stalled. (nba.com) The Cavaliers’ late possessions became the story because the lead had looked safe. Cleveland had built the margin through three quarters and into the fourth, but the combination of missed shots, turnovers and New York stops gave the Knicks repeated chances to cut into it. (nba.com) NBA.com’s live recap described the finish as a “miraculous 22-point comeback.” ### Did the result make any history? NBA.com said this was the first time in league history that both Game 1s of the conference finals went to overtime. The same recap also noted that teams winning Game 1 of the conference finals have gone on to win the series 78.2% of the time in NBA history. (nba.com) That statistic does not decide this series, but it explains why the opener matters beyond one night. New York took the first game on the road and moved the pressure onto Cleveland before the Cavaliers could protect home court. (nba.com) ### When do they play again? Game 2 is set for Thursday, May 21, according to the NBA schedule page. NBA.com lists the game at 5:00 p.m. Pacific time, with the series remaining in Cleveland before shifting to New York for Game 3 on May 23. The schedule now gives Cleveland one game to respond before the series moves. (nba.com) New York enters that game ahead 1-0 after a 115-104 overtime win that turned on Brunson’s 38 points and a 44-11 closing run. (nba.com)