Brunson leads a historic comeback by the Knicks against the Cavs in Game 1

The New York Knicks staged a historic comeback at Madison Square Garden and struck first in the Eastern Conference Finals. The New York team defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 after a memorable overtime, coming back from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter thanks to a spectacular Jalen Brunson.

Brunson was the standout of the night with 38 points and led a seemingly impossible comeback. With 7:52 left in the game, the Knicks trailed 93-71 and seemed completely out of it. However, Brunson took control offensively, repeatedly punishing James Harden, leading a devastating 18-1 run that brought the home team back to life.

Brunson himself tied the game at 101 with a basket with 19 seconds left in regulation time. After the comeback, he explained the message within the team when all seemed lost.

“Just keep fighting. Keep narrowing the gap. We weren't going to recover everything in a single possession,” stated the Knicks' star.

The overtime further ignited madness at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks started the extra time with a 9-0 run while the fans celebrated a victory that puts the team just three wins away from returning to an NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

Mikal Bridges contributed 18 points, and OG Anunoby finished with 13 in his return after missing two games due to right hamstring discomfort. Karl-Anthony Towns highlighted the defensive work as the key to the New York team's comeback.

“Our defense has been special throughout these playoffs and it showed up in the last quarter and overtime,” Towns affirmed.

Cleveland let slip a game that seemed completely in control. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 points, while Evan Mobley added 15 points and 14 rebounds. Harden also finished with 15 points but had a very erratic night, scoring just one three-pointer in eight attempts and committing six turnovers.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson lamented his team's collapse after dominating for much of the game.

“We played great basketball for three quarters. Unfortunately, they dominated us in the final quarter,” he explained.

Incredible Comeback by the Knicks

The Knicks closed the game with an impressive 44-11 run from being down 93-71 in favor of Cleveland. The comeback also became one of the biggest in recent playoff history. Only the 2012 Clippers, who overturned a 24-point deficit against Memphis, staged a larger postseason rally in the last 30 years.

The victory confirmed New York's extraordinary form, now with eight consecutive playoff wins. After dominating Atlanta and Philadelphia in the first two rounds, the Knicks seemed affected by the long break since May 10, especially during a first half riddled with outside errors.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Brunson lidera una remontada histórica de los Knicks ante los Cavs en el Game 1