We've only had two matches from the NBA Conference Finals, and we've already had three overtimes: two in the victory of the San Antonio Spurs over Oklahoma City Thunder, and another in the New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night, an incredible comeback in which the local team, the Knicks, overcame a 22-point deficit to win 115-104. It was the first time in NBA history that both Eastern and Western finals led to overtime on Game 1.
Knicks' victory against Cavaliers, led by Jalen Brunson, who scored 38 points (17 of them in the final 12:45 minutes of the game, when New York outscored Cleveland 44-11), is one of the most outstanding comebacks of all-time.
The fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers played all seven matches in the previous round of the play-offs, stunning higher-seed Detroit Pistons only two days before, may explain why the Cavs were more active and motivated in the first portions of the match. Instead, the Knicks had been nine days without playing, after sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the semi-final 4-0. That may explain why they were more disconnected at the start, but had a greater physique to hold longer: in the fourth quarter and overtime they scored 46 points, vs. Cleveland's 21 points.