Knicks win Game 1 in OT, take 1-0 lead over Cavaliers in Eastern final

The New York Knicks opened the Eastern Conference finals by doing what looked improbable with six minutes left: they came back from 22 points down and beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime on May 19 at Madison Square Garden. (nba.com) Jalen Brunson scored 38 points, and New York turned a game that appeared lost into a 1-0 series lead. Cleveland led 98-76 in the fourth quarter before the Knicks forced overtime and controlled the extra period. (apnews.com) ### How big was the hole New York climbed out of? The Cavaliers led by 22 points in the fourth quarter, and the margin was still 20 with under seven minutes left before New York’s run began. (nba.com) The comeback was the largest postseason rally in Knicks franchise history, according to the Associated Press. Madison Square Garden saw the game flip quickly. New York closed regulation with a burst built around Brunson’s shotmaking and Cleveland’s stalled offense, then outscored the Cavaliers 13-2 in overtime to finish the turnaround. (nba.com) ### What did Brunson and Mitchell actually produce? Brunson finished with 38 points, six assists and five rebounds, leading a Knicks offense that struggled for long stretches before he took over late. Mikal Bridges added 18 points for New York, according to the NBA’s official highlights summary. (apnews.com) Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points for Cleveland and carried much of the Cavaliers’ offense before the late collapse. The NBA highlights recap listed Mitchell as Cleveland’s leading scorer, with Evan Mobley adding 20 points and 11 rebounds. ### When did the game turn? (apnews.com) The fourth quarter turned when New York began stringing together stops and quick scores instead of trading baskets. Cleveland, which had controlled much of the night, was outscored 46-21 over the final 17 minutes including overtime, Yahoo Sports reported in its live recap. (youtube.com) The overtime period removed any doubt. New York scored the first several baskets of the extra session, while Cleveland’s offense that had looked steady through three quarters produced only six points after regulation began to slip. (youtube.com) ### What does the result do to the series? The Knicks now lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals 1-0. New York entered the round after sweeping Philadelphia in the conference semifinals, while Cleveland reached the series by beating Detroit in seven games. The official NBA playoff schedule lists New York as the No. 3 seed and Cleveland as the No. 4 seed in the East final. (sports.yahoo.com) The same schedule shows the Knicks holding home court for the first two games at Madison Square Garden. ### When is Game 2 and where can readers track it? (basketball-reference.com) Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The NBA’s official playoff schedule lists tipoff for 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday, May 23, in Cleveland, with Game 4 set for Monday, May 25, if the series proceeds on schedule. (nba.com) The winner of Knicks-Cavaliers will advance to the NBA Finals, which the league says begin on June 3.