The New York Knicks pulled off an improbable comeback, rallying from 22 points down to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Trailing 93-71 with 7 minutes and 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Knicks—led by Jalen Brunson's 38 points—staged a historic turnaround.
Brunson hit a clutch jumper with 19.3 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 101-101, capping an 18-1 run. Cleveland's Sam Merrill missed a three-pointer, sending the game into overtime, where the Knicks scored the first nine points and never looked back.
After the game, Brunson admitted he couldn't explain the comeback. "I don't have an answer. We got some stops, kept fighting, believed, and chipped away. They played well, but we found a way."
Mikal Bridges added 18 points for New York, while OG Anunoby, returning from injury, contributed 13 points along with two other players. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 29 points, and James Harden added 15.
The best-of-seven series continues with Game 2 on Thursday at the Knicks' home arena. The winner will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. Notably, the Spurs, powered by Victor Wembanyama's 41 points, beat the Thunder in a double-overtime Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, marking the first time in NBA history that both conference finals openers went to overtime.
