New York Knicks Erase 22 Point Deficit in Game 1, Defeat Cleveland Cavaliers in Overtime 

By William Armstead –

The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers by a score of 115-104 in overtime in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Finals series. The Knicks came back and won from 22 points down in the fourth quarter, stamping one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 38 points. Brunson began to exploit James Harden’s defense, scoring five straight field goals and bringing the Knicks within striking distance. Brunson shot an efficient 7 for 11 when Harden was guarding him. 

The Knicks outscored the Cavs 44-11 in the fourth quarter. 

OG Anunoby made his return after missing the previous two games. Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Josh Hart all scored 13 points with Mikal Bridges being the second leading scorer for the Knicks on the night with 18 on 7-11 shooting. 

As for the Cavaliers, their fourth quarter collapse was due to poor shooting. The Cavaliers shot 29.4 percent from the field in the fourth quarter and missed six of their seven shots in overtime. 

James Harden struggled in the fourth shooting 1 for 6 and missing every single one of his three point attempts. Overall, he finished with 15 points on an abysmal 5-16 from the field and 1-8 from three point range. 

The Cavs were led by Donovan Mitchell who scored 29. Evan Mobley recorded a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. 

The Knicks will look to keep their momentum from the comeback victory to fuel them in Game 2. James Harden will have to play better on both sides of the ball after a costly performance in Game 1, where his turnovers and lack of defensive intensity helped swing momentum to New York.

Game 2 is on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN.