Knicks beat Cavaliers 115-104 in OT to take Game 1 of Eastern Conference finals

The New York Knicks opened the Eastern Conference finals with a 115-104 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night, taking Game 1 at Madison Square Garden and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Jalen Brunson led New York with 38 points, five rebounds and six assists, according to the NBA’s official box score. Mikal Bridges added 18 points and five rebounds as the Knicks came through in the extra period to protect home court.

The game tipped off at 8 p.m. ET on May 19 in New York, where the Knicks began the series at home after a longer layoff than Cleveland. The overtime result gave New York the first step in a series that carries major stakes for a team trying to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

The Knicks entered the Eastern Conference finals after sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round. Their series-ending Game 4 came on May 10, giving New York several days off before the conference finals began.

Cleveland arrived on a much shorter turnaround. The Cavaliers advanced by winning Game 7 of their second-round series on May 17, then opened the East finals two days later at Madison Square Garden.

That made Tuesday’s result an important early marker in the series, even before considering the home-court advantage New York was trying to hold. Brunson’s scoring set the tone for the Knicks in the opener, while Bridges gave them additional production in a game that extended beyond regulation.

The Knicks now carry the early edge in the Eastern Conference finals as they pursue their first trip to the NBA Finals in 27 years.