Jalen Brunson Gives Honest Response After Knicks’ Unreal Comeback Win
Madison Square Garden was the site of a historic night on Tuesday as the New York Knicks staged one of the most incredible comebacks in NBA playoff history, overcoming a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter and winning the game 115-104 in overtime against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jalen Brunson, who was the focal point of the whole thing, couldn’t even clarify to himself exactly what had happened.
GettyJalen Brunson Left Speechless After Knicks Shock Cavaliers in OT
When asked postgame how the Knicks managed to pull it off, Brunson was at a loss for words.
“Found a way. I don’t have an answer for you,” he admitted. When reminded that New York outscored Cleveland 44-11 over the final seven-plus minutes of regulation and overtime, Brunson credited the team’s mental toughness.
“We got some stops, kept fighting, kept believing. We just kept chipping away. They were playing great basketball, and we just found a way,” he said.
When pressed on his role in the comeback, Brunson deflected the praise entirely. “I’ll realize it after the fact. I’m just happy we found a way to win. My teammates have to believe in me, my coaches — all the credit goes to them,” Brunson said.
On what a comeback win like this can do for a team’s confidence, he was measured: “We can still learn from a win. We didn’t play our best — obviously — until the end. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
GettyJalen Brunson Gives Honest Response After Knicks’ Unreal Comeback Win
The Knicks were down by 93-71 with 8:19 left in the final quarter, but the Knicks started their comeback when Brunson aggressively kept on going after James Harden on switches.
Brunson nailed five straight field goals to cut the deficit and ended up with 38 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds – 17 of his points came in the crucial fourth quarter and overtime.
Mikal Bridges was the other major contributor with 18 points, however, Donovan Mitchell’s 29-point performance wasn’t enough for Cleveland. The Knicks started overtime with a strong 9-0 run to put the game away, getting one step closer to their first NBA Finals since 1999.
Game 2 tips off on May 21 at 8:00 PM EST on ESPN, with the Knicks holding a 1-0 series lead.
The Knicks have won eight games in a row and now come into Game 2 with a victory. However, this win also includes a reminder.
New York simply cannot afford to be so lethargic for three quarters again. Cleveland is a very good team with a good coach, and Donovan Mitchell will not give up without a fight.
The Knicks need to play with the intensity of a team that is trying to win right from the start, not just during the last eight minutes of the game.
If Brunson gets the Knicks going early and the defense is tight right from the beginning, then the series might be finished before Cleveland even realizes it.
But if the Knicks continue damaging their own chances, then even the most extraordinary comeback feats will eventually disappear.
Jayesh Pagar Jayesh Pagar is a writer at Heavy Sports, covering the New York Knicks and other NBA teams. He brings four years of experience across digital sports media, including NBA, WNBA, college basketball, and college football. He covered as the Knicks beat writer for ONSI and has written for PFSN, Sporting News, and ClutchPoints. More about Jayesh Pagar
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