New York Knicks' Jose Alvarado, right, knocks the ball from the Cleveland Cavaliers' James Harden's hands during the first half of Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Jalen Brunson against Donovan Mitchell was the matchup splashed across the screens to hype the Eastern Conference finals.

Unfortunately for the Cleveland Cavaliers, it turned into Brunson versus James Harden in the fourth quarter of Game 1.

Brunson continuously attacked the matchup to spark one of the largest postseason comebacks on record, as the New York Knicks rallied from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter for a 115-104 victory. A day later, the Cavaliers shrugged off concerns that one of the most accomplished offensive players in league history might be too poor of a defender to give them NBA Finals hopes.

“I know everybody’s putting it on James, but I’d say a lot of, it’s on the team, our team defense,” coach Kenny Atkinson said Wednesday after the Cavaliers practiced at Madison Square Garden. “And we were great for three quarters. Like, really, really great. So we can do it.”

The Cavs will try again tonight, hoping to even the series before it shifts to their home court over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Atkinson took as much, if not more, heat than Harden for waiting too long to use a timeout to stop New York’s momentum after Brunson kept driving right at Harden as the catalyst for an 18-1 run.

“Kenny’s a great coach and we know that they’re going to come out ready to play,” said the Knicks’ Mike Brown, who worked with Atkinson when both were assistants to Steve Kerr in Golden State. “They came to New York to get one game and it’s still within reach.”

Wednesday’s game

– Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back from a subpar series opener to score 30 points, Alex Caruso added 17 off the bench and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 122-113 in Game 2. Chet Holmgren scored 13 points. Stephon Castle scored 25 points for the Spurs, who also got a 21-point, 17-rebound, six-assist, four-block night from Victor Wembanyama.