Jalen Brunson shines bright as Knicks outlast Cavs in Game 1 overtime battle

Jalen Brunson delivered a historic postseason performance as the New York Knicks stormed back from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night. For most of the night, the Cavaliers looked firmly in control. With 7:52 remaining in regulation, Cleveland led 93-71, and the Knicks appeared out of rhythm after a long layoff following their second-round sweep of Philadelphia. New York struggled from deep, going just 4-for-23 from three-point range through three quarters, and their offense sputtered as the Cavs maintained control.


Then Brunson changed everything. The Knicks guard repeatedly attacked the defense, particularly targeting James Harden, and sparked an explosive 18-1 run that suddenly swung momentum back to New York. As the Garden crowd roared to life, Brunson kept pressing forward, ultimately tying the game at 101 with just 19 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.



Once in overtime, the Knicks wasted no time taking control. They opened with a dominant 9-0 run, completely overwhelming a stunned Cavaliers team that had seemed on the verge of a comfortable road win. From there, New York never looked back, feeding off the energy inside Madison Square Garden.

Brunson finished with 38 points in a defining performance, while Mikal Bridges contributed 18. Three other Knicks scored 13 points each, including OG Anunoby, who provided a key late boost in his return from a hamstring strain after missing two games. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 29 points but could not prevent the collapse.

The win extended the Knicks’ streak to eight straight victories and moved them within three wins of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. It also added to a postseason run that has already been dominant, though this time New York had to survive adversity rather than cruise.

Historically, the comeback stood among the most dramatic in recent playoff memory, ranking alongside rare fourth-quarter turnarounds seen only a handful of times over the past three decades.