New York Knicks hold momentum, but Cleveland Cavaliers capable of NBA play-off comebacks

NEW YORK – The New York Knicks are no strangers to playing with plenty of momentum during the NBA play-offs. Nor are the Cleveland Cavaliers unfamiliar with climbing back from discouraging losses.

But Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Finals on May 19 might have provided the Knicks with their most momentum yet and presented the Cavaliers their biggest challenge.

Hosts New York will aim to take a 2-0 series lead as the Cavaliers will look to bounce back from a stunning defeat in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on May 21 (May 22, Singapore time).

The Knicks won Game 1 in historic fashion, overcoming a 22-point deficit in the final 7min 52sec of regulation and never trailing in overtime on their way to a 115-104 victory.

The victory was the eighth straight for the team, who won their previous seven games by an average of 26.4 points before mounting the second-biggest fourth-quarter comeback in NBA play-off history.

That record belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers, who trailed the Memphis Grizzlies by 24 before earning a 99-98 win in Game 1 of their 2012 Western Conference first-round series.

“They (Cleveland) were playing great basketball, had us on our heels, give them a lot of credit – obviously we played well in the fourth and overtime,” Knicks star Jalen Brunson said.

“It was the middle, second and third quarter, where we let go of the rope. So that’s our biggest takeaway.”

That plus the fact that the series is not over just because of a resounding Game 1 win.

“They’re going to come out with extreme energy, attention to detail, focus, sense of urgency and desperation,” Knicks forward Josh Hart added.

“They’re looking at it like that was our game that we gave away.”

The loss was the seventh of the post-season for the Cavaliers, who needed the full seven games to eliminate the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors in the first round and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the second round.

“We’ve had some tough ones, but it’s one loss,” said Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, who scored 29 points but just three during the Knicks’ fourth-quarter surge.

“It’s one. So we have an opportunity to come back here in two days and steal one here.”

The Cavaliers squandered a 2-0 series lead against the Raptors and also trailed the Pistons 2-0 in the second round.

They then won three straight before missing a chance to close out the series at home on May 15, when Detroit rolled to a 115-94 victory. However, Cleveland responded with a 125-94 road rout in Game 7 on May 17.

Being able to bounce back from setbacks may be their strength.

“Just understanding that we didn’t have the best effort (Tuesday) night, we didn’t have the best outcome,” Cavaliers centre Jarrett Allen said.

“And the resiliency is going to show (on Thursday in) how we come out.”

Meanwhile on May 20, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pulled the Oklahoma City Thunder level with the San Antonio Spurs, as the defending NBA champions won the Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals clash 122-113.

Having been largely kept in check in their Game 1 loss to the Spurs on May 18, the league’s back-to-back Most Valuable Player scored 30 points and provided nine assists.

The Thunder’s home win leaves the series poised at 1-1, with the teams next headed to San Antonio for Games 3 and 4 on May 22 and May 24. REUTERS, AFP