Report card from the Knicks’ wild 115-104 overtime win over the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Jalen Brunson
It took awhile for Brunson to find his rhythm, but he certainly found it, finishing with 38 points — including 15 in the fourth quarter — as Captain Clutch found his ideal switch off screens (ahem, James Harden) and he cooked. Only shot 1 for 6 from beyond the arc, but it didn’t matter. Brunson got to where he wanted on Harden, a poor defender and historical choke artist who was overmatched when it mattered most.
Grade: A-
Karl-Anthony Towns
Predictably struggled against Evan Mobley, the type of rangy defender who won’t allow Towns the space and sightlines to playmake from the elbow. The Knicks center committed seven turnovers and shot 6 for 14. Ugly inefficiency. Still, he grabbed 13 boards, and his presence helped space the floor for Brunson’s late-game brilliance.
