Knicks target Cavaliers veteran James Harden to spark stunning comeback in Game 1
NEW YORK — Down 22 points late in the fourth quarter and staring at a deflating playoff opening loss, the New York Knicks chose a clear path: attack James Harden.
That was the blunt assessment from the Knicks’ locker room after a breathtaking rally on Tuesday night turned an almost certain defeat into a 115-104 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of their series. What had looked like a runaway Cavs win became one of the most memorable playoff swings in recent Knicks history, driven by Jalen Brunson’s poise, New York’s defensive pressure and a relentless decision to put Harden — Cleveland’s veteran guard — in the center of every action.
“We were attacking Harden,” one Knicks player said after the game, a simple explanation for a complex and exhausting finish. The strategy was as direct as it was effective. New York repeatedly dragged Harden into on-ball screens, hunted mismatches and forced him to defend in space as the Knicks’ offense suddenly found rhythm and urgency. Over the final 12 minutes and 39 seconds, including overtime, Brunson scored 17 of his 38 points while the Knicks unleashed a 44-11 run to erase the deficit and seize control.
The victory gave New York a 1-0 series lead and left Cleveland stunned after leading by double digits for most of the evening. The Cavaliers had looked firmly in command well into the fourth quarter, with their offense humming and their defense forcing the Knicks into difficult looks. But once New York intensified its attack, the game flipped quickly. Shot by shot, possession by possession, the Cavaliers’ edge disappeared.
Brunson once again proved to be the engine of the Knicks’ postseason identity. The All-Star guard mixed timing, patience and aggression, carving up Cleveland’s defense in isolation and pick-and-roll situations. He repeatedly got to the spots he wanted, finishing at the rim, drawing fouls and punishing soft coverage. When the Cavaliers tried to load up on him, Brunson trusted the pass. When they switched, he attacked. When they dropped, he pulled up or threaded a drive. The result was a closing stretch in which Cleveland never found a defensive answer.
But the comeback was not solely about Brunson’s shot-making. It was also about the Knicks’ willingness to keep applying pressure, even as the situation seemed almost hopeless. New York tightened on defense, got stops at critical moments and used the crowd’s growing energy to fuel a frantic pace. Once the deficit dipped from impossible to manageable, belief spread quickly across the floor.
Cleveland, meanwhile, struggled to stabilize. Harden, a player with years of postseason experience, was targeted on nearly every possession that mattered late. In the fourth quarter and overtime, the Knicks pulled him into 21 on-ball screens, according to analytics cited during the broadcast, and turned several of those actions into productive isolation chances. The Cavs’ ability to protect the paint and control the tempo disappeared as New York kept forcing Harden into uncomfortable defensive decisions.
Donovan Mitchell and the rest of Cleveland’s core could not stop the bleeding once the run began. The Cavaliers’ offense, which had been effective for most of the game, stalled badly in the final minutes and overtime. New York outscored Cleveland 14-3 in the extra session, a decisive closing burst that underscored just how completely momentum had shifted.
For the Knicks, the win carried both practical and emotional significance. Opening a series with a comeback of this magnitude can reshape belief, especially against a talented Cavaliers team that had dictated most of Game 1. It also reinforced a recurring theme for New York: when Brunson is in command, the Knicks can survive stretches of poor play because their star gives them a chance every night.
The Cavaliers entered the series expecting to lean on their depth, their guard play and their defensive versatility. For three quarters, that plan appeared sound. Yet playoff basketball often turns on matchups and adjustments, and New York found the one it wanted. By forcing Harden into repeated action and increasing Brunson’s workload at the other end, the Knicks changed the geometry of the game. Cleveland’s advantage faded, and the final score reflected not just a comeback, but a collapse in control.
There is always a danger in overreading one game in a long series, but Game 1 offered a clear message: the Knicks are comfortable making late-game chess moves, and Brunson is comfortable playing the role of closer. Cleveland now faces the task of responding to both.
What seemed destined to become a Cavaliers victory instead became a showcase for New York’s resilience. In the end, the Knicks did not merely come back. They took aim at Harden, found their opening and turned a 22-point hole into a statement win.