Starting 5: Knicks make history in Game 1; Spurs-Thunder set for Game 2

Knicks complete the largest 4th-quarter comeback in Conference Finals since 1997 to steal Game 1 on Tuesday.

Entering Tuesday,

teams were 1-594 since 1997 when trailing by 22+ points in the 4th quarter of a Playoff game.

Make that 2-594,

thanks to the New York Knicks.

Keep reading

for a second straight night of madness, with both Conference Finals Game 1s going to OT — the first time that’s

ever

happened.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Unreal Rally:

Brunson, Knicks stage all-time 4Q rally at MSG to stun Cavs in OT, take 1-0 lead

Brunson’s Burner:

What Captain Clutch’s latest late-game feat meant to the Knicks

Beyond The “Wow”:

Before Thunder-Spurs Game 2, see how Wemby’s defense and knack for big moments ruled Game 1

Patience Pays:

Inside Dylan Harper’s rookie rise and Playoff leap

OKC Answer:

Thunder look to rebound after first loss this postseason

BUT FIRST … ⏰

After an unforgettable Game 1,

Game 2 of the West Finals tips off tonight as Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs seek a 2-0 lead vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder (

8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock

|

Tap to Watch

).

Kidd Out In Dallas:

The Mavericks announced yesterday that they have

parted ways

with coach Jason Kidd, after a 5-year coaching run that saw a Finals run in 2024.

Latest Ratings:

The NBA Playoffs are delivering their

highest viewership

through the Conference Semifinals in 29 years, with an average of 4.5 million viewers per game across ABC, ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Amazon Prime Video.

The Alley & Oop Show:

A new duo is taking over the NBA for kids and families …

Alley & Oop!

Follow them from city to city to learn more about the league and its superstars. The first episode drops today on NBA YouTube, NBA.com and the NBA App.

1. BRUNSON, KNICKS ERUPT FOR HISTORIC GAME 1 RALLY

One night after

the West Finals’ double-OT thriller in OKC, the East Finals opened with magic at MSG.

Knicks 115, Cavaliers 104 (OT):

Down 22 with 7:52 left in the 4th, Jalen Brunson (

38 pts, 6 ast, 3 stl

) led New York on a comeback for the ages,

closing on a 44-11 run

through overtime to pull off an improbable Game 1 win. |

Recap

Cavs In Total Control:

An 8-0 run had the Cavs up 93-71 midway through the 4th, with Donovan Mitchell (29 pts, 5 reb) in complete control – and the Garden silent

Knicks Heat Up:

Four minutes later, the Knicks were riding an 18-1 avalanche to get within five, capped by a personal 11-0 run from Brunson to send MSG into a frenzy

They Kept Coming…:

A 3 from Landry Shamet

(9 pts, 3-3 3PM) hit rim, glass, rim, rim – and in – with 44 seconds left to tie the game at 99

And Coming…:

When Harden answered with a 2, it was – who else, but Brunson – banking in the game-tying floater with 19 ticks to play

And Closing:

Cleveland had one more look in regulation, but Sam Merrill’s potential 3-point winner rimmed out, and New York kept roaring, dominating OT 14-3 to finish the job

It was the largest

Conference Finals comeback since play-by-play data was first tracked in 1997.

Playoff rally in Knicks’ franchise history.

It was a stunning swing

in 30 minutes of real time – one that defied nearly three decades of Playoff history.

Against All Odds:

In the play-by-play era, 595 teams had faced a 20+ point 4th-quarter deficit in a Playoff game. Only one had overcome it: the Clippers in Game 1 of the 2012 First Round vs. Memphis

But On This Stage?

In a game of this magnitude? It had never been recorded, as 68 teams in the play-by-play era have faced a 20+ point 4th-quarter deficit in the Conference Finals, and all 68 have lost

“I don’t know if I’ve seen that

in a Playoff game,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown postgame. “Whatever we were down, to find a way to come back and win – I just take my hat off to the group.”

Full Circle:

In Game 1 of the 2025 East Finals at MSG, the Knicks watched the Pacers erase a 14-point deficit with 2:50 left, capped by Tyrese Haliburton’s iconic bouncing buzzer-beater to force OT, where Indy stole the series opener before ousting New York in six.

In the same game

one year later, on the same floor, it was the Knicks who pulled off the near-impossible – a rally that embodied their collective resolve.

Complete Clamps:

Amid the 44-11 closing run (from 7:52 in the 4th through OT), New York held Cleveland to 4-of-18 shooting (22.2%) and just 0.85 points per minute

Complete Cast:

In that same span, the Knicks shot 15-of-20 (75%), with OG Anunoby (10), Shamet (9) and Mikal Bridges (6) combining for 25 points and a slew of clutch buckets

Complete Captain:

Meanwhile, Brunson dropped 17 on 8-of-10 shooting, single-handedly outscoring Cleveland to ignite – and ice – an all-time rally

“It’s a testament to the grit

and the resiliency of this locker room,” said Karl-Anthony Towns (13 pts, 13 reb, 5 ast). “It’s not about individual performances, it’s about finding a way to win … that’s what’s special tonight.”

2. ‘JALEN BRUNSON IS SPECIAL’ – INSIDE CAPTAIN CLUTCH’S LATEST COMEBACK

Jalen Brunson

was seeing the regular-season and Playoff leader in 2nd-half scoring take over on the MSG hardwood.

A 10-point 3rd quarter

from Donovan Mitchell was fueling the Cavs to a lead as large as 15, and then over 20 after a 4th-quarter triple.

“The way we were playing

in that middle 2nd-3rd quarter wasn’t us,” Brunson said.

So Captain Clutch

did something about it, as he has so many times before. The Playoffs’ 4th-quarter points leader since 2023 got hotter than the 90-degree temps outside the Garden, igniting New York’s statement Game 1 win.

Great, Late:

It was Brunson’s fourth 15+ point postseason 4th quarter since 2023 (his first Playoffs with the Knicks), which is tied with Mitchell and Anthony Edwards for the most in that span

One-On-Five:

For the fourth time in these Playoffs, Brunson outscored the opposing team during a burst of 10+ consecutive points he piled up, besting the Cavs 11-1 in a four-possession stretch

“I’ll realize after the fact,”

Brunson said of the zone he was in. “I’m just happy we found a way to win … My teammates got belief in me, my coaches, it’s all credit to them.”

“We don’t get it done

if Jalen Brunson doesn’t play like one of the MVP guys in the league,” coach Mike Brown said. “He was phenomenal.”

When Brunson

is in win-mode, it doesn’t matter who is in front of him defensively down the stretch.

“The ball was going in

so I, honestly, just was trying to get to my spots… make plays … and just trust my work.”

Offensive Clinic:

This was Brunson’s fourth 30+ point game this postseason, all coming in wins. He’s up to a Playoff career-best 125.8 OffRtg, the highest in this postseason

“Jalen Brunson is special,”

Karl-Anthony Towns said. “When he’s playing that way, and he’s making points and buckets like that, I’m just blessed that I get a front-row seat to watch it.”

“He’s the leader,”

said Brown of Brunson. “He’s our guy … There were a couple things that he felt and he made sure that we knew. And our guys responded to him.”

3. WEMBY’S WORLD: THE DEFENSE & POISE THAT RULED GAME 1

“

Unbelieveable

.”

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED

!!!!?”

Phenomenal

performance…”

Victor Wembanyama

set the sports world on fire with his Game 1 performance, leaving everyone eager to see how he follows it up tonight in Game 2

(8:30 ET, NBC & Peacock).

And while his

40-piece, his 16 clutch points and his game-breaking highlights — like the

near-logo 3

— may have generated the most

yelling-at-the-screen moments

, he also lived up to his Kia Defensive Player of the Year title.

Shot-Changer:

With Wemby on the floor, the Thunder shot 36.9% from the field (31-84). With him off, they shot 58.8% (10-17)

Paint Prowler:

OKC was limited to only 38 PITP in Game 1, its lowest in these Playoffs. Wemby contested 12 shots in the paint, more than any player, with 3 blocks

Difference Maker:

In nearly 49 minutes played, he was a game-high +16

“Defensively, he was in his stance

almost all night… he led the way,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “That’s 49 big minutes, and it was high-level for the majority of those.”

Wemby’s defensive output

Monday was in line with his numbers and his effectiveness against OKC all season.

Locking In:

In five regular-season games defending the Thunder (4-1), Wembanyama’s regular-season DefRtg (103.6) improved to 99.6, with a +10 plus/minus

It’s another example

of how the 3rd-year big raises his game up on the biggest stages:

Emirates NBA Cup:

Returning from a 12-game absence to help San Antonio take its first victory over OKC this season, Wemby (calf) had the Las Vegas

crowd chanting “M-V-P”

for his 22 points, 9 boards and +21 in just 20 minutes of the West Cup Semifinals

Christmas Day:

Fast-forward 13 days when Wemby supported a third win in that span over OKC with 19 pts and 11 boards. The Spurs handed the defending champs their first home loss in their 31st game

All-Star 2026:

Ant Edwards may have taken MVP honors, but as he said, “Wemby set the tone.” Over two mini-games for Team World, Wemby tallied 33 points, topped only by Kawhi Leonard

2026 Clinchers:

Past concussion protocol, Wemby returned fresh with 17 pts, 14 reb and 6 blk to finish off Portland in Round 1, before providing 19 pts and 3 blk in eliminating the Wolves in the West Semis

“I think he has showed

in his three years – in a lot of different situations with a lot of different circumstances – that he’s gonna attack those moments,” Johnson said.

”He has some rare

God-given ability … and he puts in even more work in preparation, to try maximizing that.”

In His Own Words:

“The relentlessness is built,” Wemby said after Game 1 … “The mental toughness, you have to have it all the time…

“And yes it takes a toll, but we will rest in July.”

Wemby takes

the stage in his next biggest moment tonight, for Game 2 in Oklahoma City.

4. PATIENCE PAYING OFF: INSIDE DYLAN HARPER’S ROOKIE RISE

Game 1

of the Western Conference Finals was set to tip off in 60 minutes.

Spurs at Thunder.

A trip to the NBA Finals at stake. The whole hoops world watching.

Then rookie Dylan Harper

got the news: veteran guard De’Aaron Fox was out with an ankle injury.

The 20-year-old

was suddenly in the starting lineup.

“Treat it like every other game,”

said Harper on what he told himself pregame. “Going with the mindset of just being me … be in attack mode at all times.”

His Time:

Harper was set to become the first rookie to make his first career Playoff start in the West Finals since 1979.

He had started

just four games all season.

In his fifth,

he delivered a performance that hadn’t been seen in more than 50 years.

All-Time Energy:

Harper finished with 24 points, 11 boards, 6 dimes and 7 steals, becoming the first player to post such a statline in a Playoff game since steals were first tracked in 1973-74

All-Time Company:

In that same span, only two other players have recorded at least 20/10/5/5 in a Conference Finals game: Julius Erving (1980) and Larry Bird (1981)

Attack Mode:

Fourteen of Harper’s 24 points came in the paint, and he scored 11 in the 4th quarter and overtime (where he played 20 of the 22 available minutes)

Pressure Plays:

That included a crucial and-one with 2:04 left in double-OT to put the Spurs up four, before the rook sealed the win at the line with 15 ticks to play

“He has shown poise

and composure beyond his years,” said Johnson of Harper. “I thought [his aggression] was phenomenal. And I thought he was even better defensively.”

Rookie Rise:

Harper’s seven steals set a new Spurs Playoff single-game record. He finished the night with +14 plus-minus – trailing only Wemby – across 47 minutes.

The all-around

performance wasn’t a sudden breakthrough, but the latest step in Harper’s steady ascension.

The Starting Point:

The No. 2 pick in last year’s Draft, Harper’s four starts ranked 19th among his fellow 30 first-rounders

The Patience:

But Harper embraced the slower path, learning from Fox and standout sophomore Stephon Castle while steadily earning a larger role

The Playoff Payoff:

This postseason, Harper’s taken his game to new heights, boosting his scoring from 11.8 ppg in the regular season to 14.6, with upticks in rebounds (5.6), steals (1.7) and minutes (27) per game

Another Level:

That includes three 24+ point games in these Playoffs, more than he had the entire regular season (2)

What kept Harper committed

to the slower climb?

“For moments like this,”

he said after Game 1. “Being around two great point guards in Steph and Fox … earlier in the season, when everyone didn’t see the vision, I saw it and doubled down.”

That patience

is now paying dividends on one of the game’s biggest stages, where a 20-year-old rookie looks right at home.

“It means the world,”

said Harper of starting for San Antonio in the West Finals. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

5. HOW WILL OKC RESPOND TO FIRST LOSS THIS POSTSEASON?

Losing is not

something Oklahoma City is accustomed to at this time of year.

Dating back

to Game 7 of last year’s Finals, the Thunder had won nine consecutive Playoff contests. They swept both the Suns and the Lakers with a 16.6-point average margin of victory.

That changed

Monday against the Spurs. Now, the defending champions are tasked with rebounding from defeat.

The Standout:

Alex Caruso – two-time NBA champion – has been in such situations before. He had a team-high 31 points in Game 1 coming off the bench

Good As Glue:

The 9th-year guard was also the primary defender on Victor Wembanyma, forcing two turnovers, while holding all others to 2-for-10 shooting

“He played

his butt off … I’m proud of him,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “But I expect that from Alex, especially at this time of year. He always brings it.”

Beyond Caruso

, other members of the Thunder are looking to step up for Game 2 after Monday’s double-OT heartbreaker.

Tougher Test:

In the West Semifinals, Chet Holmgren averaged 20 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, but was held to 8 and 8, respectively, on Monday

X-Factor:

OKC is 25-1 across the regular and postseason when Holmgren scored 20+ points

Gilgeous-Alexander,

the recently minted back-to-back Kia NBA MVP, was candid about his own struggles postgame. He shot 7-of-23 from the field, but still pitched in 24 points.

“Sometimes

you’re your best version, sometimes you’re not,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You’ve got to roll with the punches, don’t get discouraged and stay true to who you are.”

Slow Start, Strong Close:

SGA began Game 1 1-of-5 from the field, but turned it up late, scoring 16 clutch points to bring OKC to the brink of victory

OKC Answers:

Now he’ll look to lead the Thunder to a Game 2 response – and OKC has a knack for bouncing back, with a 13-5 record following a loss this season

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