How Jalen Brunson led Knicks to rally from 99.9% chance to lose vs. Cavs originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New York Knicks were going to lose this basketball game. That’s what ESPN’s win probability said on Tuesday night.
With 7:40 left, and the Cleveland Cavaliers leading by 22 points, the Cavs held a 99.9% chance to win the game. Jalen Brunson doesn’t operate in percentages, though.
And by the end of the night, after a furious rally and a dominant overtime, the Knicks had managed to win Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final — somehow outscoring the Cavs 44-11 in the game’s final 55 points.
“We found a way,” Brunson told ESPN’s Lisa Salters. “I don’t have an explanation.”
To be clear, Brunson can’t afford to operate in percentages. If he did, he never would’ve gotten to this point.
He’s a small, stocky, not-super-speedy guard in an NBA filled with always-rising length and athleticism.
Just a night earlier, it was the limitless magic of the gigantic, alien-like Victor Wembanyama who stole the show in the Western Conference Final Game 1.
Brunson is in many ways the opposite. Nothing about him from a physical standpoint is mind-boggling.
But what Brunson pulled off against the Cavs? That was nearly unbelievable.
The Knicks trailed 93-71 with 7:40 left. That, and an ensuing 93-73 deficit, both featured 99.9% chance of winning for Cleveland.
That’s when Brunson took over.
Brunson hit a floater to get to that 93-73 deficit. Landry Shamet hit a 3. Brunson assisted to Karl-Anthony Towns.
Then it was Brunson from close range, Brunson inside again, Brunson on a midrange pullup, Brunson from the lane, and Brunson on a deep 3. All of a sudden, the Knicks were down five, 94-89.
The Knicks then needed back-to-back 3s from Mikal Bridges, the second assisted by Brunson, before Shamet hit another 3-point to tie it at 99.
James Harden put the Cavs ahead with 31.1 seconds left, but then Brunson got to the bucket and scored with 19.3 seconds left to tie the game 101-apiece.
In overtime, the Knicks rolled. Brunson didn’t even have to dominate. The entire New York lineup did it together.
By that point, the party was on in MSG.
Brunson had seen the near-impossible in front of him, and he had defied the odds. That’s what he does.
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Jalen Brunson stats
The final stats for Brunson looked like this:
- 38 points
- 15-29 FG
- 1-6 3FG
- 7-10 FT
- 5 rebounds
- 6 assists
- 3 steals
- 3 turnovers
“I’m just happy we found a way to win,” Brunson told Salters after the game.
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