Knicks erase 22-point deficit, target Harden to steal Game 1
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The New York Knicks stormed back from 22 points down in the final 8:19 and beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime on Tuesday night, opening the Eastern Conference finals with one of the biggest turnarounds in NBA postseason history.
New York flipped the momentum by repeatedly forcing switches that put James Harden on Jalen Brunson. The strategy produced a 44-11 surge spanning the fourth quarter and overtime.
Key numbers
- Brunson finished with 38 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter.
- He shot 7-for-11 when defended by Harden and 8-for-18 against all other Cavaliers.
- Harden went 1-for-6 from the field in the fourth and missed all three of his three-point attempts.
- ESPN Analytics gave Cleveland a 99.9% win probability with 7:49 remaining.
“They were doing the same thing with Jalen, so we said two can play that game,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said after the game at Madison Square Garden.
The Cavaliers, coming off a Game 7 victory over the Detroit Pistons two days earlier, managed just 29.4% shooting in the fourth quarter and hit one of seven attempts in overtime. Brown noted that Cleveland’s guards had logged “50% more minutes than our guards,” a factor he believed could wear them down late.
New York had been idle for nine days after sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, and rust showed early as Cleveland built a 22-point cushion. Forward OG Anunoby returned to the lineup after missing the final two games against Philadelphia, adding defensive length as the Knicks clawed back.
During a timeout that preceded the rally, Brunson urged teammates to tighten defensively and stay patient. “Keep fighting, keep chipping away. We’re not going to get it back in one possession,” he said. “No matter how that game finished, habits translate to the next game.”
The Knicks will look to carry those habits into Game 2 on Thursday night in New York.
Source: ESPN
