Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and spearheaded a historic fourth-quarter rally as the New York Knicks overcame a 22-point deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime on Tuesday night. The victory gives New York a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Knicks looked sluggish early on after sitting out since May 10, when they completed a second-round sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers. Through three quarters, New York shot just 4 for 23 from beyond the arc. When the Cavaliers pushed their lead to 93-71 with 7:52 remaining in regulation, the game appeared entirely out of reach for the home team.

Instead of throwing in the towel, Brunson began targeting James Harden on the defensive end, sparking an 18-1 run that pulled New York right back into the contest. Brunson later drove to the basket to tie the game at 101-all with 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Before the comeback began, Brunson noted that the team was simply focused on building good habits for the remainder of the series. He told teammates to keep chipping away and fighting, knowing they could not erase the deficit all at once.

That persistence paid off. The Knicks carried that late regulation momentum into the extra period, opening overtime with a 9-0 run to secure the victory in front of a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd. With the win, New York moves closer to its first appearance in the NBA Finals since 1999.

Mikal Bridges chipped in 18 points for New York. Three other players scored 13 points, including OG Anunoby, who provided a late lift after shaking off some early rust. Anunoby had missed the previous two games due to a strained right hamstring.

Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavaliers with 29 points, but Cleveland fell apart down the stretch. New York outscored Cleveland 44-11 after trailing by 22 points late in the fourth quarter.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson credited the Knicks for their late dominance, noting that his team played excellent basketball for the first three quarters before letting the game slip away in the final period.

The dramatic victory marks the second-largest fourth-quarter comeback in an NBA playoff game over the last 30 years, trailing only a 24-point rally by the Los Angeles Clippers against Memphis in 2012.

The Cavaliers will have to regroup quickly. Mitchell expressed frustration over the late-game collapse but stressed that the team cannot let the defeat ruin their overall postseason momentum. Evan Mobley finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds for Cleveland, while Harden added 15 points but struggled with six turnovers and a 1-for-8 mark from the 3-point line.

The Knicks have now won eight consecutive games and will remain at home to host the Cavaliers for Game 2 on Thursday night.