The Knicks solved their minutes puzzle just in tim...
Key takeaways
- OF THE NEW YORK KNICKS' 13 consecutive NBA playoff wins, the eighth might provide a sense of justification.
- The Knicks had entered Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals winning three straight games to oust the Atlanta Hawks in the first round and dominating the underdog Philadelphia 76ers via a conference semifinals sweep.
- Naturally, that's when Jalen Brunson went to work, scoring 15 of his game-high 38 points in the final 7:39 with much of the damage coming against Cavs guard James Harden.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
OF THE NEW YORK KNICKS' 13 consecutive NBA playoff wins, the eighth might provide a sense of justification. Not for the blockbuster roster moves that have the franchise two wins from its first championship in 53 years, but for a tactical shift that perhaps came a few years late.
The Knicks had entered Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals winning three straight games to oust the Atlanta Hawks in the first round and dominating the underdog Philadelphia 76ers via a conference semifinals sweep. But after the first 40 minutes inside Madison Square Garden on May 19, New York found itself trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers by 22 points.
Naturally, that's when Jalen Brunson went to work, scoring 15 of his game-high 38 points in the final 7:39 with much of the damage coming against Cavs guard James Harden. And, behind Brunson's offensive attack and some timely stinginess by New York's defense, one of the greatest rallies in playoff history was nearly complete. With under one minute remaining, the Knicks had cut the deficit to just three points.