Knicks Complete Historic 22-Point Comeback to Stun Cavs in Game 1

Knicks erase 22-point deficit, beat Cavs in OT to take game 1

The Knicks rallied from a 99.9% win probability for Cleveland to win in overtime. It’s the first time both conference finals opened with overtime games in NBA history.

Trailing 93-71 with under 8 minutes left, the Knicks pulled off the largest playoff comeback in franchise history to stun Cleveland and take a 1-0 series lead...

 

The New York Knicks pulled off the largest playoff comeback in franchise history to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime on Monday. Jalen Brunson led the way with 38 points as the Knicks rallied in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.

New York erased a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun Cleveland. The win came after the Cavaliers led 93-71 with 7:52 left in regulation.

At that point, ESPN analytics gave Cleveland a 99.9% chance of winning.

Brunson sparked an 18-1 New York run and hit a floater to tie the game at 101-101 with 19.3 seconds left in regulation. That rally set up the largest playoff comeback in Knicks history.

NEW YORK WENT ON A 44-11 RUN TO COMPLETE A 22-POINT COMEBACK WIN IN GAME 1 💨

DOWN 22 WITH UNDER 8 TO PLAY IN Q4.
30-8 RUN TO FORCE OT.
WON BY 11.

1-0 SERIES LEAD IN THE EAST FINALS 🍿 pic.twitter.com/0InzFeaG4M

— NBA (@NBA) May 20, 2026

After Sam Merrill missed a three-pointer for Cleveland, the game went to overtime. The Knicks opened the extra period with nine unanswered points.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 points. James Harden added 15.

NEW YORK WENT ON A 30-8 TO FORCE OT 💨

SHAMET TIES IT.
HARDEN FOR THE LEAD.
BRUNSON TIES IT AGAIN. https://t.co/ksw9IBlypq pic.twitter.com/Dj0oW01DX7

— NBA (@NBA) May 20, 2026

The Knicks will have a chance to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series when they host Game 2 on Thursday.

The winner of the series will face either the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.

Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points to lead the Spurs past the Thunder in double overtime in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

  

This marks the first time in NBA history that the first two games of both conference finals have gone to overtime.

Final.@Redfin | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/SsTHOvqMSQ

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 20, 2026

What makes this win stand out isn’t just the 22-point deficit, it’s when it happened and who did it. 

Brunson is building a playoff legacy in real time — Dropping 38 points and hitting the game-tying floater with under 20 seconds left is the kind of shot that defines a postseason run. He’s now 6-0 in Game 1s since joining the Knicks, and this was his most composed closeout performance yet. When Cleveland’s defense sagged off in the 4th, he punished them with mid-range pull-ups and got to the line.

Cleveland’s collapse is the other story — Up 22 with 7:52 left and a 99.9% win probability, the Cavs went ice cold. They scored only 8 points in the final 8 minutes of regulation and missed open threes that would have iced it. Mitchell had 29, but he went 1-5 in OT and the offense stagnated once the Knicks switched everything and sped the game up.

 

Series implications: Game 1 steals swing best-of-sevens dramatically. The Knicks now have home-court locked and all the momentum heading into Game 2 Thursday at MSG. If Cleveland can’t find a way to get Garland and Mobley more involved in late-clock situations, this could slip away fast. But if they respond, this sets up a brutal, physical series.