Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell offers explicit assessment of the team's historic collapse to the Knicks

The Cleveland Cavaliers blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead, and prima Donovan Mitchell did not mince words astir the historical collapse.

The New York Knicks defeated the Cavaliers 115-104 successful Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals connected Tuesday nighttime astatine Madison Square Garden, erasing a 93-71 shortage with 7:52 near to play successful regulation.

"I said it successful the locker room, conscionable that we lost, we f–king blew it," Mitchell said successful his postgame quality conference.

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Cleveland Cavaliers defender Donovan Mitchell reacts during overtime successful Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York, New York, connected May 19, 2026. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

The lone bigger fourth-quarter playoff comeback successful the past 30 years was the Los Angeles Clippers rally from 24 down to bushed the Memphis Grizzlies successful Game 1 of the archetypal circular successful 2012.

The Cavaliers were successful power of the crippled done 40 minutes, arsenic the team’s defence stifled the high-powered Knicks offense. Mitchell scored 29 points and had six steals successful the loss.

"We could’ve mislaid by 40. It inactive would’ve been 1-0," Mitchell said. "Watch the film. We played beauteous coagulated for 3 quarters oregon so. We’ll marque adjustments and spell from there."

KNICKS STORM BACK TO SHOCK CAVS IN GAME 1 AS JAMES HARDEN'S DEFENSIVE PLAY COMES UNDER SCRUTINY

Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers is defended by Landry Shamet and Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks during the 2nd fractional of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals successful New York, New York, connected May 19, 2026. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

The 29-year-old said helium doesn’t privation to fto 1 4th impact the remainder of the series.

"It’s 1 loss. It’s a atrocious loss, but each we tin bash is spell backmost and ticker the movie and hole it," Mitchell said.

"That can’t happen. But it did. We play successful 2 days. We can’t beryllium present and fto it termination our momentum, termination what we’ve been doing. It’s not a bully loss, but we got to spell retired determination and respond for Game 2."

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New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson reacts aft scoring during the 2nd fractional of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers successful New York, New York, connected May 19, 2026. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

Jalen Brunson sparked the Knicks comeback win, scoring 16 of his game-high 38 points successful the 4th quarter. The Knicks went connected a 44-11 tally successful the 4th fourth and overtime to implicit the stunning comeback.

The Knicks came from 20 points down 3 times past twelvemonth successful the postseason. Those were their largest comebacks connected grounds since 1969-70, erstwhile they won their archetypal of 2 NBA titles.

The Cavaliers volition effort to get disconnected the mat and bounce backmost successful Game 2 against the Knicks connected Thursday nighttime astatine 8 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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