Jalen Brunson powers Knicks’ stunning comeback as Cavaliers collapse in Game 1
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals looked like it was headed toward a forgettable night for the New York Knicks. Instead, Madison Square Garden witnessed an instant playoff classic. The Knicks stormed back from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime Tuesday night, stealing home-court momentum and taking a 1-0 series lead.
Jalen Brunson powers Knicks’ stunning comeback as Cavaliers collapse in Game 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals looked like it was headed toward a forgettable night for the New York Knicks .
Instead, Madison Square Garden witnessed an instant playoff classic. The Knicks stormed back from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime Tuesday night, stealing home-court momentum and taking a 1-0 series lead. With the comeback, New York delivered one of the most stunning turnarounds of the postseason and left Cleveland searching for answers after another late collapse.
The dramatic rally was fueled by a dominant close, as New York outscored the Cavaliers 32-18 in the fourth quarter and then controlled overtime. The game belonged to Jalen Brunson, who once again delivered in the biggest moment. Brunson scored 38 points and took over when the Knicks desperately needed offense.
The star guard repeatedly attacked Cleveland’s defense during the closing stretch and helped ignite the game-changing run. Cavaliers’ fourth-quarter collapse turns control into crisis in Game 1 loss to Knicks For much of the night, the Cavaliers appeared to be in complete control. Cleveland built a lead that reached 22 points early in the fourth quarter and looked ready to quiet the Madison Square Garden crowd.