Villanova in the Pros: Jalen Brunson Leads 22-Point Comeback

The New York Knicks took a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 115-104 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, May 19, and Villanova products Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart were front and center in the comeback effort. New York trailed 93-71 with 7:40 to play in the fourth quarter.

Brunson, named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year in 2025 for his performance in crunch time, began the comeback started with a jumper on the following possession, then had a hand in six of the next seven baskets scored, assisting Karl-Anthony Towns on a layup before outscoring the Cavaliers 11-1 singlehandedly over a 2:14 stretch. Bridges sank a pair of threes inside the three-minute mark, one off a dish from Brunson; Brunson scored the game-tying shot with 19.3 seconds to play, sending the game to overtime.

Of Brunson’s 38 points scored, 15 came in the final quarter. He added two points and two assists in overtime, helping the Knicks start the extra period on a 9-0 run that put the game out of reach. Bridges scored 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, adding five rebounds and two steals. Hart picked up 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. New York will host Game 2 at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 before the series heads back to Cleveland.