If there was any question as to whether Christmas Day belonged to the NBA, the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers quickly provided an affirmative answer.
The NBA’s holiday slate kicked off with a back-and-forth thriller at Madison Square Garden that saw the Knicks defeat the Cavs 126-124. Cleveland entered the fourth quarter with a 12-point lead and went ahead by as many as 17 in the final frame before New York stormed back in front of a frenzied home crowd for their largest comeback win of the season.
The game featured an intense backcourt battle, as Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson and Cavs star guard Donovan Mitchell tied for the game high with 34 points apiece. Mitchell had the play of the game with a monster dunk in the fourth quarter, but it was Brunson who got the last laugh.
Both supporting casts showed up, as sharpshooting sixth man Jordan Clarkson had 25 points while Tyler Kolek added 16 points and nine assists off the bench for New York. Darius Garland added 20 points and 10 assists for Cleveland.
Fans on social media were blown away by the epic fourth-quarter showcase by both the Knicks and Cavs in the NBA’s Christmas Day opener:
The Knicks trailed by 15 points at the end of the first quarter before outscoring the Cavs by 17 in the second. Cleveland took control in the third with a 14-point turnaround, but the fourth-quarter deficit wasn’t enough for New York to overcome.
The next four games on the Christmas Day schedule will have a lot to live up to, as the Knicks and Cavs set the bar high with a spirited contest that reminded everyone why holiday basketball is so beloved.
The Knicks (21-9) will be back in action on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks (15-16), while the Cavs (17-15) will look to bounce back that day against the Houston Rockets (17-10).