The New York Knicks made a massive 22-point comeback to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime to open the Eastern Conference Finals. Jalen Brunson caught fire in the fourth and proved he was the best player on the floor, but the entire run came with Josh Hart glued to the bench. Head coach Mike Brown went five-out with Landry Shamet replacing the starting wing, and Cleveland had no answers.
Hart continues to be a key piece for New York and has blossomed into a fan favorite. He is a tough player to bench. The 6’5 wing always brings energy and does little things to help New York win. It wasn’t his night, and the Knicks needed some shooting after struggling to put the ball in the basket for three and a half quarters.
Brunson saved the Knicks. He finished with 38 points, six assists, five rebounds, and three steals in 46 minutes. He was running the offense and making every play down the stretch. New York feels like a team of destiny, but they have to figure out where to go from here.
The Knicks benched Josh Hart as Jalen Brunson stole Game 1
Hart didn’t have an awful game. He finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 30 minutes of action. The 31-year-old made five of his 11 shots, but was just one of five from 3-point range. Cleveland outscored New York by 23 with him on the floor.
Head coach Mike Brown knew he needed a shooter, so he turned to Landry Shamet. Shamet was a perfect three of three from long range, and the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers by 20 in his 16 minutes of action.
Where do the Knicks go from here? Hart can make an impact against the Cavaliers, but this just might not be his series.
It should not be an indictment on, or an insult toward, Josh Hart to point out that the Knicks' 21-point comeback happened with him on the bench
— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) May 20, 2026
Hawks series wasn't a Mitch series. 76ers series "wasn't" a Brunson series. This happens, even to great players.
Styles make fights
Not a coincidence our run came with Josh Hart off the floor
— Joel Moran (@joelvmoran) May 20, 2026
I love Hart. His energy, passion. But defenders roaming off of him kills the spacing
Need more Shamet or Deuce with the starters
Through 3 quarters, the Knicks are currently +4 with a 147.1 ORTG with Josh Hart OFF the court.
— XJ (@xavierjdesigns) May 20, 2026
They are -18 with a 78.6 ORTG with Josh Hart ON the court. https://t.co/Re0bSWk0WB
Expect Hart to start Game 2, but coach Brown needs to have a quick hook. Every point and possession matters. Both conference finals openers went to overtime. This is going to be a tight series against a talented team. If Shamet gives New York a better shot than Hart, coach Brown needs to make the move.
Jalen Brunson led the comeback, but they don’t win without Brown. Fans got frustrated with Tom Thibodeau’s refusal to trust the bench and rely on other players. Mike Brown showed everyone why that is crucial in the Game 1 comeback.
This series is far from over, but the Knicks have all the momentum. The game looked over midway through the fourth quarter before New York stormed back. They finally got their offense going, and Cleveland had no answers. Expect Brunson to attack James Harden more throughout the series, but the Cavaliers certainly will make adjustments.
The New York Knicks benched Josh Hart as Jalen Brunson led a 22-point comeback to steal Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals from the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a bold move to sit a fan favorite, but the right one. Credit to Mike Brown. He made a tough call, and it worked. There will be several more to make if the Knicks are going to win it all. Stay tuned to see if Brown nails those, too.
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