NEW YORK — A furious fourth-quarter surge led by Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks’ second unit wiped out a 17-point deficit and delivered a 126-124 Christmas Day victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks (date: Dec. 25, 2025) trailed 107-91 with eight minutes left before stringing together a decisive 35-17 run. Brunson scored 14 of his team-high 34 points in that span, while reserves Jordan Clarkson, Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson supplied the spark that head coach Mike Brown labeled “maybe our best win of the season.”
The turnaround
Robinson snatched eight offensive rebounds overall and dominated the glass during the final 4:46, repeatedly dislodging Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen to create extra possessions. Consecutive put-backs cut the gap to single digits, setting the stage for Kolek’s trio of fourth-quarter three-pointers. Kolek also stripped Donovan Mitchell on a late possession, though the play was overturned after a coaching challenge.
Clarkson finished with 25 points, seven coming on back-to-back threes during the comeback. In all, New York knocked down 21 three-pointers at a 48 percent clip, with Brunson responsible for six.
Key quotes
Mike Brown: “Our bench basically won the game for us. They put us in position down the stretch.”
Mitchell Robinson: “When the game gets tight and you need energy, you crash the glass. I just keep crashing; sometimes I get it.”
Jalen Brunson: “It was ugly, but we found a way. We don’t want to be down 17 once, let alone twice, but it shows the type of team we are.”
Cleveland’s side
Donovan Mitchell matched Brunson with 34 points, and guard Darius Garland returned to the starting backcourt. Forward Evan Mobley, back after a two-week absence caused by a calf strain, was unable to preserve what appeared to be a momentum-shifting win for the Cavaliers.
New York had already erased an earlier 15-point hole when starting forward Josh Hart exited with a lower-leg injury, but the bench’s response prevented Cleveland from capitalizing. The victory improved the Knicks’ record in games decided by five points or fewer to 8-3 this season.
Source: ESPN
