Brunson, Bridges push Knicks to verge of first Finals since 1999
Brunson, Bridges push Knicks to verge of first Finals since 1999
New York defeated Cleveland 121-108 on May 23, 2026, at Rocket Arena to move within one win of the NBA Finals, taking a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 30 points while Mikal Bridges contributed 22, and New York never trailed in Game 3.
The result puts New York on the brink of its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. All but one of the Knicks’ wins this postseason have come by double digits, with an average margin of victory of 22.5 points across the series. New York also extended a postseason winning streak to at least 10 games, matching the run posted by the Boston Celtics during their 2024 championship run – a feat the draft material notes has been achieved by only seven teams in NBA history.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell finished with 23 points in 38 minutes, and James Harden added 21, but the Cavaliers shot 12 of 41 from three-point range and 12 of 19 from the foul line. Cleveland had drawn level at 50-50 before a 10-1 New York run pushed the Knicks into a 60-54 halftime lead, and the Cavaliers trailed 91-82 entering the fourth quarter.
Game 4 is scheduled for Monday night at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Should Cleveland avoid elimination, Game 5 would return to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder lead the San Antonio Spurs 2-1, with Game 4 set for Sunday night in San Antonio.
