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Jalen Brunson exploded in the fourth quarter as the Knicks erased a 22-point deficit to stun the Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime in Game 1.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to a historic comeback as the Cavs just short-circuited in the 4th and OT (AP)
Does Jalen Brunson even feel pressure at this point?
Whatever happened at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night felt less like basketball and more like a superhero origin story.
NEW YORK WENT ON A 44-11 RUN TO COMPLETE A 22-POINT COMEBACK WIN IN GAME 1 💨DOWN 22 WITH UNDER 8 TO PLAY IN Q4.30-8 RUN TO FORCE OT.WON BY 11.
1-0 SERIES LEAD IN THE EAST FINALS 🍿 pic.twitter.com/0InzFeaG4M
— NBA (@NBA) May 20, 2026
Brunson and the Knicks, after falling into a 22-point hole midway through the fourth quarter, rallied all the way back to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Brunson Ignites A Miracle
After nine days off, the Knicks looked completely out of sync for most of the first three quarters, and through the first half of the final quarter too.
Trailing 93-71 with just 7:52 left in regulation, the Knicks looked dead and buried.
The Cavs had complete control. The Garden crowd was stunned into silence. Cleveland seemed ready to continue its momentum after a dominant second-round Game 7 performance.
But Brunson simply refused to let New York lose.
The Knicks captain exploded for 15 points in the fourth quarter alone, attacking relentlessly and dragging New York back possession by possession.
He spearheaded a devastating 18-1 run before banking in a floater with 19.3 seconds remaining to tie the game at 101-101.
When Sam Merrill missed a potential game-winning three for Cleveland, overtime arrived, and the Knicks never looked back.
New York opened the extra session with the first nine points and completed a jaw-dropping 115-104 victory.
Historic Comeback At The Garden
The win instantly entered Knicks playoff folklore — it marked the largest comeback postseason victory in franchise history and the second-biggest fourth-quarter comeback in NBA playoff history during the play-by-play era.
Brunson finished with 38 points and six assists while shooting 15-of-29 from the floor. But more importantly, he completely changed the emotional gravity of the game.
The Knicks closed the contest on a staggering 44-11 run.
Mikal Bridges added 18 points, while OG Anunoby returned from injury to contribute 13.
Cavs Collapse After Historic High
The Cavs had entered the series riding massive momentum after becoming just the third team in NBA history to win a Game 7 on the road by 30 or more points.
Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points in defeat, while James Harden added an abysmal 15.
But once Brunson caught fire, none of it mattered.
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