NBA conference finals openers go OT

The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs opened the NBA’s conference finals on May 19 with overtime wins, producing a first for the league’s final four. Sportsnet reported both conference-final Game 1s reached overtime on the same night for the first time in NBA history. NBA.com game pages show New York beat Cleveland 115-104 in overtime, while San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 122-115 in double overtime. ### How unusual was the night? Sportsnet reported the two games also shared the same regulation score: 101-101. That meant both series openers were tied after 48 minutes before the Knicks and Spurs pulled away. NBA.com’s playoff coverage listed the Eastern Conference finals opener as a Knicks comeback from 22 points down in the fourth quarter. (sportsnet.ca) In the West, NBA.com described the Spurs’ win as a double-overtime Game 1 thriller against the Thunder. ### What happened in New York? Madison Square Garden hosted the East opener on May 19, and NBA.com said the Knicks rallied from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime. (sportsnet.ca) The league’s game summary shows New York took a 1-0 lead in the series. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks late, according to NBA.com’s playoff recap, which said New York closed on a 44-11 run. (nba.com) NBA.com’s takeaways said Brunson led the Knicks in the overtime win after Cleveland controlled much of the first 40 minutes. ### What happened in Oklahoma City? Oklahoma City hosted the West opener on May 19, and NBA.com said San Antonio beat the Thunder 122-115 in double overtime. (nba.com) The league’s recap said Victor Wembanyama lifted the Spurs in what it called an instant classic. NBA.com’s takeaways said Wembanyama delivered a historic performance in his first conference finals game. (nba.com) The same recap said the Spurs took a 1-0 lead over the top-seeded Thunder. ### Did the overtime openers draw a big audience? NBC Sports PR said, in figures cited by NBA.com, that Spurs-Thunder Game 1 delivered the highest average viewership for a Western Conference finals Game 1. (nba.com) NBA.com published that figure one day after San Antonio’s double-overtime win. The league did not, in the material reviewed, publish a matching combined audience claim for both overtime openers. (nba.com) It did, however, frame the Spurs-Thunder opener as a record Game 1 audience for the Western final. ### What comes next in the bracket? Game 2 in the Western Conference finals was played on May 20, and NBA.com said Oklahoma City evened the series 1-1 with a win over San Antonio. (nba.com) The Thunder’s response came one night after the double-overtime opener. The 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 3, according to the league schedule published by Sportsnet. (nba.com) The remaining conference-final games will determine which two teams advance to that series. (sportsnet.ca) (nba.com)