Knicks Rally from 22 Down to Beat Cavs in OT in East Finals Game 1

The New York Knicks erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals, powered by Jalen Brunson’s 38 points.

Trailing 93-71 with 7:52 remaining in regulation Tuesday, the Knicks mounted an 18-1 run.

Brunson tied the game at 101-101 on a floater with 19.3 seconds left.

After Cleveland’s Sam Merrill missed a three-point attempt, the game went to overtime, where the Knicks scored the first nine points to secure the victory.

Brunson admitted he did not know how the Knicks had pulled off the sensational comeback.

“I don’t have an answer for you,” he told ESPN.

“We got some stops. We kept fighting, kept believing, just kept chipping away. They were playing great basketball, and we just found a way.”

Mikal Bridges contributed 18 points for the Knicks, while OG Anunoby, returning after a two-game injury absence, was one of three New York players with 13 points.

Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 29 points, and James Harden added 15.

The Knicks will look to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series when they host Game 2 on Thursday.

The winner of the Eastern Conference finals will face either the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.

In the Western Conference finals, the Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama’s 41-point performance, defeated the Thunder in double overtime in Game 1.

It marks the first time in NBA history that both conference finals opened with overtime games.