Jalen Brunson orchestrated one of the greatest fourth-quarter comebacks in NBA history, leading the New York Knicks to a 115-104 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Brunson, who scored 38 points, led the Knicks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.

Cavaliers Collapse

The Cavaliers appeared to have the game under control, leading 93-71 with less than eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. However, Brunson launched a relentless attack on the Cavaliers' defense, sparking an 18-1 run that brought the game into question. Brunson tied the game at 101-101 with 19 seconds left, sending it to overtime.

The Knicks opened overtime with a 9-0 run, energizing the Madison Square Garden crowd. After trailing by 22 points, the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers 44-11 in the final minutes.

Brunson Shines, Harden Struggles

Besides Brunson, Mikal Bridges contributed 18 points, while OG Anunoby, who returned after missing two games due to a quadriceps strain, scored 13 points, alongside two other teammates. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 points, Evan Mobley added 15 points and 14 rebounds, but James Harden struggled with only one successful three-point shot out of eight attempts and six turnovers.

Cavaliers' Coach: "They Completely Overpowered Us"

Cavaliers' coach Kenny Atkinson was succinct in his post-game comments. "We played great basketball for three quarters. Unfortunately, in the fourth quarter, they completely overpowered us," he said. This comeback ranks as the second-largest in a fourth quarter of a conference final in the past 30 years, behind only the Los Angeles Clippers' comeback from a 24-point deficit against Memphis in 2012.

Knicks Take 1-0 Lead

The Knicks extended their winning streak to eight consecutive games in conference finals and now lead the series 1-0. The long break since May 10th seemed to have affected the team's performance, as they struggled with shooting, making only 4 out of 23 shots in the first three quarters. Nevertheless, the Knicks found their shooting rhythm at the crucial moment, unlike last year when they squandered a 14-point lead and lost to Indiana at home in the conference finals. The Knicks dominated in points from the paint (60-38) and points off turnovers (28-20). The second game is set for Thursday, also in New York.