NYK notches miraculous 22-point comeback to stun Cavs in Game 1

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Ahead by 22 points with only 7:40 remaining in regulation, winning a playoff game was almost inevitable for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Total domination in the concrete jungle. Despite getting banged up fresh off a grueling Game 7 win to eliminate the Detroit Pistons, the Cavaliers picked up where they left off and steamrolled their way to a great start on the road, silencing the 19,812 New York Knicks fans who flocked to Madison Square Garden on May 20, 2026.

Earning the dub was supposed to be clear as water, but no, it didn’t happen.

Here we go again. Just like an instant drama classic in a postseason dogfight, a relentless come-from-behind effort from New York weathered the storm, leading to a jaw-dropping 115-104 overtime victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

To pull off the stunning comeback, the Knicks banked on Jalen Brunson’s unconscious performance, sparking New York’s 30-8 fourth-quarter closing run to deadlock the game at 101-all and force OT.

New York was down, 71-93, after James Harden converted free throws. The counterattack swiftly happened in the next possession, when Brunson made a driving floater inside the shaded lane.

Every time Cleveland missed a shot, the Knicks quickly answered.

In just two minutes, New York pulled itself to within 10 points, forcing Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson to call an emergency timeout.

Despite regrouping his wards, the Brunson Burner lit up Madison Square Garden, leading the Knicks with 11 consecutive points that trimmed their deficit to a single digit.

They were still down, but Brunson smelled blood and sensed Cleveland’s flat body language as he asserted himself in the most crucial stretch of the final frame.

Aside from Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet also knocked down clutch 3-pointers that tied the game at 99-all with only 34.3 seconds left.

James Harden nearly saved the Cavaliers from embarrassment after sinking a cold-blooded perimeter jumper for a two-point lead, 101-99, but Brunson flaunted the ice in his veins after answering with a banked floater for another deadlock at 101-all.

Cleveland opted not to call a timeout and trusted its players to make the right play, but Sam Merrill’s game-winning attempt rattled out, which led to the extension period.

Pumped up after erasing Cleveland’s 22-point advantage, New York sent the early exclamation point with a demoralizing 9-0 scoring run to start OT, 110-101.

OG Anunoby kicked off New York’s OT rampage, backstopped by Brunson and Shamet, who scored the last five points for the Knicks.

It was pretty much over after the Cavaliers failed to pull within three points as they entered an offensive drought at the most unfortunate time of the game.

The wild 22-point comeback clinic was the biggest playoff come-from-behind win in New York franchise history, including the massive 44-11 run from the final 7:52 of regulation until OT.

Brunson capped his heroic performance with a game-high 38 points on an efficient 15-of-29 shooting, alongside six assists, five rebounds, and three steals.

Backstopping Brunson was Bridges, who fired 18 markers, including two clutch treys to help force OT, while the trio of Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Anunoby each chipped in 13 points.

On the other hand, the Cavaliers received 29 big points from Donovan Mitchell, but his scoring stalled when the Knicks began their furious rally.

Cleveland will look to move on from the disappointing Game 1 and get back at New York in Game 2 on May 22, 2026, still to be played at Madison Square Garden.