How did the Knicks beat the Cavs? Behind New York's 30-8 run in Game 1 comeback

Atlantic76ersCelticsKnicksNetsRaptorsCentralBucksBullsCavaliersPacersPistonsSoutheastHawksHeatHornetsMagicWizardsSouthwestGrizzliesMavericksPelicansRocketsSpursNorthwestJazzNuggetsThunderTimberwolvesTrail BlazersPacificClippersKingsLakersSunsWarriorsScores & ScheduleStandingsThe Bounce NewsletterNBA DraftPodcastsFantasyNBA OddsNBA PicksWhat's Next For Lakers?Hollinger's Top ProspectsVecenie's Mock DraftHow did the Knicks beat the Cavs? Behind New York’s 30-8 run in Game 1 comebackLandry Shamet played a key role in the Knicks' 30-8 run that helped force overtime for their Game 1 comeback win over the Cavaliers. Sarah Stier / Getty Images Share articleThe Knicks weren’t going to die easily. Not in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Not with the chance to strike first against the Cleveland Cavaliers and continue chasing their first NBA Finals since 1999. Not down 93-71 with just under eight minutes remaining. Not even down by seven with less than three minutes left. With Game 1 slipping from their fingertips, the Knicks unloaded a 30-8 run to close the last and force overtime. In the extra period, their surge only continued on the way to a 115-104, series-opening win. The Knicks’ fourth-quarter comeback was the NBA’s largest in the playoffs in 13 years and their largest in team playoff history. The reclamation effort was spearheaded by 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime from Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson, who highlighted the comeback with a 38-point night. It was enough to leave him nearly speechless at the improbability of it all. “I mean, we got some stops, kept fighting, kept believing, kept tipping away,” Brunson said in his ESPN post-game interview. “They were playing great basketball, and we just found a way. I really don’t have an answer.” Down 22, it was time for Brunson, a two-time All-NBA guard, to take the reins of the Knicks’ fortunes. He hit a tough five-foot floater through traffic to kickstart a Knicks offense that hadn’t scored in over three minutes at this point. Shamet had not scored all game before he took a pass from Karl Anthony Towns and splashed a triple midway through the fourth. It was the first of three from deep he’d hit in the fourth quarter and overtime. Dean Wade of the Cavaliers took away the assignment of guarding Brunson from James Harden. Wade didn’t fare much better, though, as Brunson blew left straight by Wade for a scoop lay-in that kissed high off the glass before dropping in. By this point, the Knicks were switching every play to get Harden onto islands guarding Brunson. And the Knicks star was feasting. Isolated at the top, cross left, behind the back right, step right for an inch more space over the former MVP, and that was all Brunson needed to hit a rainbow 3, giving him 11 straight points to cut Cleveland’s lead to five. All hands were on deck guarding a Brunson drive right with a hard double by Cleveland guard Sam Merrill, and Harden flashing onto the diminutive Knicks leader on the right side of the paint. Former Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley lurked on the weak side of the paint to contend if Brunson broke through. But Mobley had abandoned Mikal Bridges in the weakside corner, and Brunson found him with a baseline feed. Target practice for Bridges, who ended with 18, and nailed a corner 3 to cut the lead to three and send the Garden into a frenzy. Remember in Game 1 of last season’s Eastern Conference finals? When Tyrese Haliburton capped a Pacers comeback with a deep shot in overtime? The one that bounced from the rim to the rafters, then back in? The basketball gods owed the Knicks one back. Shamet’s elbow 3 hit the back rim, then the blackboard, then the front rim, teetering as if deciding if this was the Knicks’ karma repaid before falling and bringing the score tied with under a minute remaining in New York. Down by 2, game on the line, everyone clear out. Brunson, for the umpteenth time, down the stretch, staring at Harden helplessly in front of him. Back on the island again. This time, the Cleveland guard put up little fight as Brunson flashed past him and threw up a high floater, over the outstretched helping hand of Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, kissing the glass thank you on its way back down onto the front rim and in to tie the game at 101, where it would stay into overtime. In the extra period, the Cavaliers had little fight left to give against the revitalized cacophony of New York fans, and the Knicks outscored Cleveland 14-3 in the overtime period to close out Game 1. They refused to die — not when probability said they should’ve. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms