Even the most creative Hollywood writers would struggle to script the incredible opening night that launched the NBA conference finals.
The basketball world witnessed something extraordinary as Victor Wembanyama delivered 41 points and 24 rebounds, leading San Antonio to a stunning road victory over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Meanwhile, New York mounted an incredible comeback from a 22-point deficit with roughly eight minutes remaining to defeat Cleveland. Both contests required overtime play – marking the first time in conference finals history – and remarkably, each game was deadlocked at 101-101 when regulation time expired.
Impressive performances from the Spurs and Knicks set the stage for what promises to be memorable series.
The defining characteristic of both victories was watching elite players elevate their performance when it mattered most. Monday evening belonged to Wembanyama and the Spurs, while Tuesday night saw Jalen Brunson take control for the Knicks during an extraordinary 44-11 scoring surge across the final 13 minutes.
Yes, that’s 44-11 over 13 minutes.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen that in a playoff game,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “I take my hat off to my group.”
The Spurs and Thunder will meet for Game 2 on Wednesday, followed by the Knicks and Cavaliers on Thursday. Expectations are high for continued excitement.
“Found a way. … We got some stops,” Brunson said. “Kept fighting, kept believing, kept chipping away.”
The statistical achievements from both games seem almost fictional.
Tuesday night’s action at Madison Square Garden defied basketball logic. A 44-11 run simply doesn’t occur at the NBA level, especially during conference finals play. Teams holding 22-point or larger fourth-quarter leads had posted a 452-1 record this season across regular season and playoffs combined. That mark now stands at 452-2. During playoff action specifically, teams had captured 330 straight victories when ahead by 22 or more points in the fourth quarter dating back to 2013. That streak is now 330-1.
The numbers seem impossible to explain.
“I don’t have an answer,” Brunson said.
Cleveland’s players and coaches were equally baffled during and after the collapse.
“We got a little unlucky,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Brunson obviously took over at the end. … We played great basketball tonight for three quarters. Unfortunately, the fourth quarter, they dominated us in the fourth quarter.”
Wembanyama’s 41-point, 24-rebound performance represents another rare achievement. The young star shined in his conference finals debut, receiving strong support from Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper. San Antonio, similar to Cleveland, surrendered a double-digit fourth-quarter advantage in Game 1 before heading to overtime. The Spurs led by 10 points rather than 22, but still squandered a significant lead.
Unlike Cleveland, San Antonio managed to regain composure during both overtime periods Monday night.
“That game was in the balance multiple times for both teams,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Tuesday. “You can’t get preoccupied with the outcome because there was so much in the balance that could have went either way.”
Simply put, capturing home-court advantage through a Game 1 victory doesn’t make the Spurs believe their series is decided. The Thunder understand Game 1’s importance while recognizing it’s far from conclusive.
“The cumulative experience just teaches you that it’s a series,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Tuesday. “Game 1’s a starting point, not an end point. We’ve lost playoff series that we’ve won Game 1 pretty convincingly. And we’ve also won series that we won Game 1. So, every series is different. It’s the first to four. They’re 25% of the way there and we’re at zero right now. But there’s a lot of basketball left to be played. I think this team kind of understands the length of the series, the length of the playoff run and the length of a playoff game.”
The reigning champions face mounting pressure. New York’s confidence is soaring. Wembanyama continues building his reputation. Cleveland – having survived two Game 7 victories during these playoffs – must overcome adversity once more.
These conference finals opened with spectacular drama. The second chapter promises even more excitement.
