Knicks overturn 22-point deficit to beat Cavaliers in overtime

NEW YORK: The New York Knicks staged a dramatic late comeback to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime on Monday in game one of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.

New York appeared to be heading for defeat when it fell behind 93-71 with 7:52 remaining in regulation. But led by Jalen Brunson, the Knicks mounted a surge that turned the game around and eventually carried them through the extra period.

Brunson finished with 38 points and drove an 18-1 run by the Knicks late in the fourth quarter. He also made a floater off the glass to level the score at 101-101 with 19.3 seconds left. Cleveland then had a chance to win it in regulation, but Sam Merrill missed a three-point attempt, sending the contest into overtime.

In the additional period, the Knicks took control immediately by scoring the first nine points and closing out a victory that moved them 1-0 ahead in the best-of-seven series.

Speaking to ESPN after the game, Brunson said he could not fully explain how New York completed the turnaround.

I don't have an answer for you.

he said.

We got some stops. We kept fighting, kept believing, just kept chipping away.

They were playing great basketball and we just found a way.

Knicks recover after slow start

Mikal Bridges contributed 18 points for New York, while OG Anunoby, returning after missing two games through injury, was one of three Knicks players to score 13 points.

The Knicks had not played for nine days after sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round. Cleveland, by contrast, entered the game after coming through a second consecutive seven-game series, having beaten top-seeded Detroit on Sunday.

The first half was closely contested before a Mitchell three-pointer gave Cleveland a 48-46 lead. The Cavaliers then extended their advantage steadily after the break as the Madison Square Garden crowd fell quiet, only for the home side to produce a remarkable finish.

The win leaves New York one step closer to reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The Knicks made the conference finals last year as well, but lost that series to the Indiana Pacers.

Cavaliers rue missed opportunity

Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points to lead Cleveland, while James Harden added 15. The Cavaliers are playing in the conference finals for the first time since 2018, when LeBron James led the team.

For Harden, now 36, it marks his first appearance in the conference finals since his 2018 Most Valuable Player season with Houston, when the Rockets were beaten in seven games by the Golden State Warriors.

Mitchell said Cleveland had let a winning position slip.

We should have won the game.

Mitchell said.

We're up 22 with god knows how much time? Eight minutes? Gotta win the game. We didn't.

Even so, he said the series remained open despite the setback.

It's one game.

Mitchell said.

We could have lost by 40, still would have been 1-0. We played pretty solid for three quarters or so. We'll make adjustments and go from there.

The Knicks will host game two on Thursday and can extend their lead in the series. The winner of the Eastern Conference finals will meet either the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs in the championship series.

In the Western Conference finals, the Spurs won game one in double overtime against the Thunder, with Victor Wembanyama scoring 41 points. It is the first time in NBA history that the opening games of both conference finals have gone to overtime.