Knicks storm back to shock Cavs in Game 1 as James Harden's defensive play comes under scrutiny

James Harden’s antiaircraft liabilities came into absorption successful the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 1 illness against the New York Knicks connected Tuesday night.

The Cavaliers led by arsenic galore arsenic 22 points earlier Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to a storming comeback victory, 115-104. Brunson had 38 points, including important buckets successful the 4th fourth portion Harden was guarding him. 

Harden enactment the Cavaliers up with a fewer seconds to play, portion Brunson answered backmost to necktie the game. Cleveland’s Sam Merrill had an accidental to springiness Cleveland the game-winning handbasket astatine the extremity of the 4th quarter, but his changeable rolled astir the rim and out.

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New York Knicks' Mikal Bridges, left, covers Cleveland Cavaliers' James Harden during the overtime play of Game 1 successful the Eastern Conference finals NBA hoops playoffs bid Tuesday, May 19, 2026, successful New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York, then, outscored Cleveland, 14-3 successful overtime to enactment the finishing touches connected an unthinkable comeback.

Harden had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, but was marked with six turnovers and was minus-6 connected the floor. NBA fans targeted Harden for failing to bash capable connected defence erstwhile it mattered the astir – a critique that has haunted him his full career.

Knicks caput manager Mike Brown pointed retired aft the crippled that the program was to onslaught Harden.

"There is nary secret: We were attacking Harden," Brown said. "Sometimes you’ve got to bash what the crippled dictates, and they were trying to bash the aforesaid happening with Jalen, truthful we said, ‘OK, we consciousness similar we tin play that game.’ We effort not to play that crippled much, but we consciousness similar we person a feline that we tin play that crippled with successful Jalen."

Harden credited Brunson with making pugnacious plays down the stretch.

New York Knicks' Jose Alvarado, right, knocks the shot from the hands of Cleveland Cavaliers' James Harden, 2nd from right, during the archetypal fractional of Game 1 successful the Eastern Conference finals NBA hoops playoffs series, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, successful New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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"He made immoderate pugnacious ones, but we evidently each cognize he’s a large 1-on-1 player," Harden said. "Anybody connected an island, it’s going to beryllium difficult, truthful we’ve got to bash a amended occupation of making definite helium sees bodies. On the different hand, they bash a bully occupation astatine supporting him and helping him erstwhile he’s connected an island. He made immoderate pugnacious ones, but we’ve got to bash a amended occupation arsenic a team."

Cavaliers caput manager Kenny Atkinson claimed the squad made adjustments, but thing worked.

"We started sending 2 astatine him, getting the shot retired of his hands, afloat rotating," Atkinson said. "James was bully astir of the game. Listen, we weren’t large defensively successful the 4th quarter."

He said helium ne'er considered taking Harden disconnected the level defensively.

"Listen, he’s been 1 of our champion defenders and a large subordinate successful the playoffs," Atkinson said. "I spot him. He’s smart, large hands."

New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, right, moves past Cleveland Cavaliers' Dennis Schroder, left, during the 2nd fractional of Game 1 successful the Eastern Conference finals NBA hoops playoffs series, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, successful New York.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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Game 2 is acceptable for Thursday nighttime astatine 8 p.m. ET astatine Madison Square Garden.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.